Conservation in Action: How Divers Can Protect The Ocean
February 24, 2025
The ocean is not only a place of immense natural beauty, but it also plays a crucial role in maintaining life on Earth. It provides us with oxygen, regulates our climate, and supports diverse ecosystems essential to biodiversity. Unfortunately, our oceans face numerous threats, from plastic pollution to climate change. As scuba divers, we experience firsthand the wonders and fragility of marine environments, making us uniquely positioned to act as advocates for the ocean. Through simple actions both underwater and in everyday life, divers can help protect the ocean and inspire others to do the same. Here are 11 ways to make a difference.
11 Ways Divers Can Help Protect The Ocean
1. Practice Responsible Diving Techniques
As divers, one of the most impactful ways to protect the ocean and marine life is through responsible diving techniques. This includes mastering buoyancy control to avoid touching or damaging coral reefs, keeping a safe distance from marine animals, and not removing anything from the ocean, including shells or coral fragments. Small actions, such as not stirring up sediment, can help preserve the natural habitats that marine life depends on.
Learning proper diving practices benefits not only your safety but also protects delicate marine environments, ensuring they remain intact for future generations.
The SSI Perfect Buoyancy Specialty provides all you need to perfect your buoyancy and keep you off fragile reefs.
2. Participate in Dive Clean-Up Events
One of the most direct ways scuba divers can help protect the ocean is by participating in underwater or beach clean-ups. Dive centers and conservation organizations regularly organize these environmental events to remove debris and plastic from popular dive sites. Even a short dive collecting a handful of trash can prevent harmful materials from breaking down and polluting the food chain.
Dive clean-ups offer a rewarding way to give back to the ocean while raising awareness about the scale of ocean pollution. Additionally, divers can contribute valuable data on the types of debris collected, helping scientists track pollution sources and develop better solutions.
3. Support Sustainable Dive Operators
The dive operators we choose can make a difference. Selecting a dive shop that prioritizes sustainable practices, such as using eco-friendly dive boats, limiting group sizes, and enforcing environmental guidelines, helps set a standard for responsible tourism. Many dive operators also participate in coral restoration programs, educate divers about local marine life, and support conservation efforts financially.
By choosing dive centers committed to ocean conservation, you can help promote a more eco-conscious industry and encourage others to protect the marine environment.
4. Use Reef-Safe Sunscreen and Avoid Chemicals Harmful to Marine Life
Many sunscreens contain chemicals like oxybenzone and octinoxate, which can bleach coral and harm marine life. Switching to reef-safe sunscreens is a simple but significant change, especially for those who dive in tropical coral reef areas. Some destinations even require the use of reef-safe sunscreen to protect their reefs from chemical exposure.
Being mindful of the products we bring into the ocean, from sunscreen to body lotions, helps reduce our impact on delicate ecosystems and ensures the health of coral reefs that attract countless divers worldwide.
5. Reduce Single-Use Plastic in Everyday Life
Plastic pollution is a critical threat to marine life, with millions of tons of plastic entering the ocean every year. By reducing single-use plastic in our daily lives, we can limit the amount of waste that ultimately ends up in the ocean. Using reusable bags, bottles, and straws may seem like small changes, but they help protect the ocean when widely adopted.
As divers, our commitment to reducing plastic use reflects our respect for the marine environment and inspires others to do the same, creating a ripple effect of change for ocean health. Check out our blog 10 Easy Ways to Go Plastic Free for easy switches you can make at home to reduce your reliance on plastics.
6. Advocate for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are essential in preserving vulnerable marine ecosystems and biodiversity hotspots. Divers can support MPAs by donating to organizations that work on their establishment and by engaging with local policymakers to advocate for these protected zones.
In many cases, MPAs lead to healthier marine populations and ecosystems, benefiting both wildlife and local communities. By voicing support for these areas, divers can contribute to long-term efforts that will protect the ocean for generations to come.
7. Choose Sustainable Seafood
Overfishing and destructive fishing practices are major threats to marine ecosystems. As consumers, divers can make a difference by choosing sustainable seafood options and supporting fisheries that use eco-friendly methods.
There are many resources and certification labels, like the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) blue tick and WWF Sustainable Seafood Guides, that can provide responsible choices if you are not ready to give up seafood altogether.
By making sustainable seafood choices, divers help protect the ocean by reducing pressure on vulnerable fish populations. This helps promote a more balanced ecosystem, contributing to healthier oceans overall.
8. Get Involved in Citizen Science Projects
Citizen science allows divers to contribute valuable data to marine research initiatives. Projects like REEF’s Volunteer Fish Survey Project or CoralWatch encourage divers to record marine life sightings or coral health, providing scientists with critical information on biodiversity and environmental changes.
Participating in these projects enables divers to deepen their connection with the ocean while supporting research that informs conservation strategies. Even a single dive’s worth of data can help scientists monitor ecosystem changes and respond more effectively.
9. Engage in Conservation Education and Outreach
As divers, sharing our experiences and knowledge can inspire others to protect the ocean. Educating friends, family, and even online followers about marine conservation, plastic pollution, and sustainable practices amplifies awareness of ocean issues. Social media platforms provide a powerful way to advocate for the environment and connect with like-minded individuals.
You can also volunteer with local conservation organizations to help educate the community or even host your own ocean conservation talks or clean-ups. Every bit of outreach helps to build a collective effort toward ocean health.
10. Support Ocean Conservation Organizations
Many nonprofit organizations work tirelessly to protect marine life, combat pollution, and promote sustainable policies. Divers can support these efforts through donations or by volunteering their time. Organizations like the Ocean Conservancy, Sea Shepherd, and the Coral Restoration Foundation rely on community support to fund critical conservation projects.
Supporting these groups, financially or through volunteer work, ensures that more resources are directed to help protect the ocean and its ecosystems.
11. Offset Your Carbon Footprint
Climate change is one of the largest threats to the ocean, causing warming waters, coral bleaching, and changing marine habitats. One way to help combat climate change is to reduce or offset your carbon footprint.
You can choose carbon offset programs or support reforestation projects that absorb CO2, such as One Tree Planted. Simple lifestyle changes, like using public transportation, eating less meat, and reducing energy consumption, also help mitigate our personal impact on the climate.
Offsetting carbon emissions not only benefits the planet but also helps stabilize marine environments impacted by climate change.
Scuba divers hold a unique position in ocean conservation, not only as observers but as active participants in the health of marine ecosystems. By taking action to protect the ocean, when traveling and at home, we can make a difference that lasts.
Are you ready to get involved? Join the SSI Blue Oceans community!