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Coral Reef Protection III: What You Can Do
By Keith R | September 5, 2006
Topics: Environmental Protection, Marine/Coastal Issues, Sustainable Tourism | 1 Comment »
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Loading...In part I of this “primer,” I examined why it is important to protect coral reef systems, what sort of things threaten their survival. In Part II, I looked at what coral reefs LAC has, what condition they are in currently, and a brief overview of what currently is being done to protect and/or rebuild them. Here in Part III I provide a series “eco-tips” I’ve gleaned from around the net (and materials my son brought home from his dive camp) on how divers, snorkelers and the average reader can help. Later blogs will look at individual groups working on reef issues in LAC.
Each Doing Our Part
Although we all can contribute in our own fashion, divers, dive shops, snorkelers and boaters have a particular responsibility and impact. Being a reef-friendly diver and/or snorkeler not only helps to protect reefs directly, it also helps to raise awareness for reefs. I invite dive shops and tour and boat operators that have reef-friendly policies and practices in LAC countries to contact me and if it checks out, I’ll put you on the list of reef-friendly operations I plan to post as a stand-alone page on the blog. Likewise, divers, snorkelers and boating enthusiasts who have experienced what they consider to be reef-friendly operations are welcome to contact me with their own nominations, especially if you can provide me with full contact information on how I can get in touch with the shop or operator in question. Also welcome would be pointers to any existing sites that are already providing such information for coral reef areas in Latin America and the Caribbean. Input welcome!
Tips for Divers & Snorkelers
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Never stand, walk or sit on a reef
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Remember that even the lightest touch with hands or equipment (tanks, gauges, fins, underwater camera, etc.) can damage sensitive coral polyps. Don’t wear gloves — it’s easier to forget the no-touch rule when wearing gloves.
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Stay off the bottom — divers should only use the weight needed and practice proper buoyancy control. Sediments stirred by feet or fins choke the corals. And seemingly lifeless areas may support new growth, if left undisturbed.
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Practice neutral buoyancy and buoyancy control skills in a pool or sandy area before diving near a coral reef. Practice, practice, practice!
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Snorkelers should wear float-coats (inflatable snorkel vests) to allow gear adjustments without standing on the coral.
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Photographers, don’t “attach” yourself to coral for stability.
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Turn sideways when looking underneath coral heads. Divers sometimes forget that their tanks protrude inches from their backs. Turning sideways presents a much lower, safer profile.
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No souvenirs! Resist the urge. Shells are homes to marine creatures. Coral is a live animal and belongs in the sea, not dead on a coffee table. Gathering is banned under existing law in many LAC nations. Dive sites can be depleted of their resources and beauty in a short time. If you want to return from dives with souvenirs, consider underwater photography.
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Pick up any garbage you find. Bring it back to shore and recycle it if possible. Help keep the reefs and beaches that you love healthy.
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Donate used equipment such as cameras, dive gear or reef ID books.
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Report environmental disturbances or damage of your dive sites. As a diver, you are in a unique position to monitor the health of local waterways. Report these observations to dive operators, DR authorities, and scientific or conservation groups that monitor coral reef health.
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Choose tour operators that use mooring buoys or drift diving techniques whenever possible
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Choose Coral Friendly dive operations that practice reef conservation by:
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Giving diver orientations and briefings.
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Holding buoyancy control workshops.
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Actively supporting local coral parks.
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Using available moorings.
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Using available wastewater pump-out facilities.
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Tips for Boaters & Fishermen
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Bring your trash to shore and recycle it.
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Accidental boat groundings damage reefs. Prop damage destroys shallow seagrass beds. Consult tide & navigation charts and steer clear of shallow areas. Remember, “Brown, brown, run aground. Blue, blue, sail on through”. If you do run aground, immediately turn the engine off and tilt it up. Do not motor off — wait until high tide to move the boat.
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Avoid areas which appear brown in color — seagrass beds and shallow reefs appear brown
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Never discharge bilge water around reefs
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Use reef mooring buoys if available. Otherwise, anchor in sandy areas away from coral and seagrasses so that anchor and chain do not drag or grate on nearby corals or tear-up seagrass beds.
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Encourage responsible boat operators. Let them know that you patronize rental shops and boats that promote ecological diving, and that you encourage your friends to do likewise.
What Everyone Can Do
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Avoid buying souvenirs made from coral or any threatened or endangered marine species
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Pick the resorts and tour operators that properly treat all sewage and wastewater;
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Pick seafood wisely — avoid items that are caught or farmed using destructive or unsustainable practices such as reef-killing poisons (such as cyanide or bleach) and illegal equipment
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Participate in local initiatives to monitor the marine environment.¨
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Participate in cleanups.
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Make a donation or volunteer your skills to support a Coral Park. For example, you can participate in a reef survey, conduct outreach, or help educate others about reef conservation.
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Speak up. Make sure your snorkeling and diving buddies understand simple conservation practices.
— Keith R
Tags: arrecifes coralinos, basura, bleach, boaters, buceo, coral parks, coral reefs, cyanide, dive operations, divers, endangered marine species, fishermen, lixo, neutral buoyancy, reef mooring buoys, reef protection, snorkelers, trash, wastewater
June 24th, 2008 at 18:02
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