The Reef-World Foundation has launched a new poster on what it calls “Green Fins Environmental Best Practices for Snorkelers.”
The new guidelines are meant to help marine tourism operators inform their guests about environmental best practices while snorkeling in an effort to protect marine ecosystems.
Snorkeling is one of the most popular water sports worldwide. Unlike many other marine tourism activities, it requires minimal equipment and training, making it one of the most accessible activities for tourists to explore the underwater world. However, if not done responsibly, the cumulative impact from all snorkelers worldwide could increase pressure on already vulnerable coral reefs.
Harmful practices while snorkeling, such as fish feeding, standing on coral and chasing marine life, have been observed globally. Often, tourists aren’t aware of the negative impact of these actions.
The guidance includes a wide range of “Do’s” and “Don’ts” when snorkeling near reefs.
Chloe Harvey, director at Reef-World, said:
“Snorkeling is a fabulous way to get people into the water and enjoy the wonders of the marine environment. Such experiences are a powerful tool to inspire people to make changes to protect these vital marine resources. However, there are very few touchpoints for raising awareness of best practice along a regular snorkeler’s pathway from land to ocean. We hope that this new Green Fins Environmental Best Practice for Snorkelers will fill this gap — provide vital guidance and allow holidaymakers to enjoy snorkeling without unwittingly jeopardizing the health of the very environment they have come to see.”
Check out the poster below.
