There are so many ways we enjoy the ocean, aren’t there? From sailing to snorkeling, it’s easy to want to spend as much time as possible in, on or under the water, for those of us who feel that magnetic pull.
One of the things we should always bear in mind is that whenever we interact with the ocean, we have the potential to impact the water, as well as its reef and marine life: we must always balance our enjoyment with responsibility.
We’ve put together six ways you can lessen your impact, along with your family’s.
- Wherever you are: choose a sunscreen that isn’t as harmful to fish and coral.
It’s no secret that sunscreen is having a substantial impact on our reefs. The good news is it’s pretty easy to be conscious about what sort of sunscreen you choose to use, as well as how you’re using it.
PLEASE avoid aerosol sprays: you end up using much more than you actually need. Not to mention the lack of research on what damage we might be doing by inhaling those sunscreen particles and dispersants.
Read ingredient labels, even if the sunscreen claims to be ocean friendly or reef safe. Avoid buying sunscreen that uses benzophenone-2, oxybenzone, octinoxate and parabens—as well as coatings used on zinc oxide to reduce whitening. These are proven to be highly toxic to corals and marine life.
Also, avoid any sunscreens that contain mineral oil (petroleum) which has a low solubility rate in water, is slow to biodegrade and is known to be harmful or fatal to some aquatic life and birds.
2. If you’re out diving: fine-tune your diving practices.
Diving is a practice that we work at every time we get in the water. There’s always something to learn, a skill to polish up. If you’re out there enjoying the reef in an up-close-and-personal way, there are a few things you can do to make sure you’re limiting your impact. For example:
Make sure you control your buoyancy. Bumping along the coral is not acceptable in any environment. Do a proper weight check before you descend to avoid an uncomfortable dive. If this is challenging, as it is to so many new and experienced divers, consider taking lessons in buoyancy with a good teacher.
Be aware of your body and where your dive gear is at all times. Ensure your dive gear is streamlined and that you’re not accidentally dragging a gauge or a fin tip along the coral, which could break it off or expose it to infection.
3. If you’re out boating: know the waters and know your options.
Be sure to review your local knowledge of the waters you’ll be boating in. Things like currents, depths, tides, reef locations and possible uncharted debris could make or break a good time. We see prop marks across seagrass beds and coral all the time, which is simply due to a boater’s carelessness or lack of awareness.
Also, whenever possible, use a mooring line instead of anchoring—but if you have to anchor, do so in a nice, wide sandy area. Check that your anchor is secure, and you’re not dragging it along.
4. If you’re out fishing: adopt sustainable practices.
When it comes to fishing, you want to apply the What, Where, How x 2 Rule. This means: know what you’re fishing, and whether the fish is listed as sustainable in the area, where you’re taking it from because you don’t want to break the law by fishing in a protected area, how you’re fishing to ensure no other marine life is inadvertently hurt in the process and how much you’re taking—because really, you only need enough for dinner.
5. Get involved.
An ideal way to lessen your impact on the reef is to participate in any of the fantastic programmes that help with ocean conservation. A few of our favourites:
Coral Restoration: Volunteer with the Coral Restoration Foundation to learn how they’re restoring our reefs, and take part in outplanting elkhorn and staghorn coral yourself. Learn more at www.coralrestoration.org.
Turtle Rehabilitation: Did you know that many of the turtles who end up at the Turtle Hospital in Marathon, Florida are suffering from tumours caused from human pollution contaminating our ocean? Learn how you can help: www.turtlehospital.org
Be AWARE: Find out if there are any Project AWARE initiatives taking place in your local area, and get involved with what you can—including water clean up events. Learn more by visiting www.projectaware.org
6. Spread the word.
One of the biggest ways you can help minimize the impact we have on our reefs is to educate others on these easy, simple tips. If you’re an ocean lover, share this post with your fellow ocean-loving friends. If you’re a dive shop, brainstorm ways you can educate your divers and staff on these simple steps, like working it into your dive boat briefing or becoming a Blue Star Operator.
Big changes can happen, but it starts with making the choice to be better for our planet’s waters, and it starts with you. We CAN do better!