View source for Recreational dive sites

{{Short description|Places that divers go to enjoy the underwater environment}}
{{Redirect|Underwater diving sites|the main article about the activity|Recreational diving}}
[[File:Coral - Marsa Alam, Egypt - August 12, 2011.jpg|thumb|Recreational diver over a coral reef in the Red Sea]]
'''Recreational dive sites''' are specific places that recreational [[scuba diver]]s go to enjoy the underwater environment or for training purposes. They include [[technical diving]] sites beyond the range generally accepted for [[recreational diving]]. In this context all diving done for recreational purposes is included. [[Professional diving]] tends to be done where the job is, and with the exception of [[diver training]] and [[Dive leader|leading groups]] of recreational divers, does not generally occur at specific sites chosen for their easy access, pleasant conditions or interesting features.

Recreational dive sites may be found in a wide range of bodies of water, and may be popular for various reasons, including [[accessibility]], [[biodiversity]], spectacular topography, [[historical site|historical]] or cultural interest and artifacts (such as [[shipwrecks]]), and [[water clarity]]. Tropical waters of high biodiversity and colourful sea life are popular recreational diving vacation destinations. South-east Asia, the Caribbean islands, the Red Sea and the Great Barrier Reef of Australia are regions where the clear, warm, waters, reasonably predictable conditions and colourful and diverse sea life have made recreational diving an economically important tourist industry.

[[Recreational divers]] may accept a relatively high level of risk to dive at a site perceived to be of special interest. [[Wreck diving]] and [[cave diving]] have their adherents, and enthusiasts will endure considerable hardship, risk and expense to visit caves and wrecks where few have been before. Some sites are popular almost exclusively for their convenience for training and practice of skills, such as flooded quarries. They are generally found where more interesting and pleasant diving is not locally available, or may only be accessible when weather or water conditions permit.

While divers may choose to get into the water at any arbitrary place that seems like a good idea at the time, a popular recreational dive site will usually be named, and a geographical position identified and recorded, describing the site with enough accuracy to recognise it, and hopefully, find it again.

==Dive sites==
<!--target for redirect [[Dive site]] -->
The term ''dive site'' (from "dive" and "site", meaning "the place, scene, or point of an occurrence or event"<ref name="Site" />) is used differently depending on context. In professional diving in some regions it may refer to the surface worksite from which the diving operation is supported and controlled by the diving supervisor. This may alternatively be called the diving operation control site, dive base, or control point. The professional dive site may also legally include the underwater work site and the area between the surface control area and underwater work site.<ref name="CoP Inshore 2017" /><ref name="CoP Scientific" /><ref name="Lexicon" /><ref name="Ontario" /><ref name="Nova Scotia" /> In recreational diving it generally refers to the underwater environment of a dive. Where a site is named, it generally refers to the locality around a specific feature, which may be reasonably conveniently visited during a dive centred or focused on that feature. Conventions may vary regionally. In some places a named dive site may refer to a specific route with a given starting point, in others it may refer more loosely to a larger region which is far bigger than a diver could reasonably visit on dives with a common point.{{cn|date=December 2022}} Such regions may later be specified in more detail as they become better known, and what was originally referred to as a single site may become several sites when they are identified and described. Where a site is named for a shipwreck, it generally refers to the known extent of the wreckage, regardless of size. Synonyms include dive spot, dive location and diving site.

===Bodies of water commonly used for recreational diving===

====Coastal dive sites====
<!--target for redirect [[Coastal dive site]] -->
Coastal dive site scan be in the sea or inland waters, but unless specified, generally refer to coastal areas on a [[continental shelf]], or near an island in the sea.

[[Sea]] and [[ocean]] [[coast|shorelines]], [[reef]]s and [[shoal]]s are salt water sites and may support high [[biodiversity]] of life forms. Tropical [[coral reef]]s are the most popular [[Scuba diving tourism|diving tourism]] destinations. [[Rocky reef]]s are more widespread, and support a greater variety of ecosystems, though the local biodiversity is usually more limited. [[Shipwrecks]] are also common on some coasts, and are very popular attractions for a large number of divers. Unconsolidated sediment is less likely to be visited intentionally, though there are some [[muck diving]] sites known for interesting animals.

Most dive sites are in coastal waters. Mainly because that is where most of the shallow water is, and also because they are more accessible from places suitable for human habitation. However there are a significant number of regions known for good diving, which are relatively inaccessible to the traveller.

====Inland dive sites====
<!--target for redirect [[Inland dive site]] -->

Inland dive sites are in bodies of water within the coastline of a land mass, usually beyond the influence of perceptible tides.

[[Lake]]s usually contain fresh water. Large lakes have many features of seas including wrecks and a variety of aquatic life. Depths may vary considerably, though they are shallow compared to the open ocean, and while surface water level may vary over the long term, they do not have noticeable tides, and seldom have significant currents. Some lakes are at high altitude and may require special considerations for [[altitude diving]].

Artificial lakes, such as [[clay pit]]s, [[gravel pit]]s, [[quarries]] and [[dam]]s often have low visibility. Flooded quarries are popular in inland areas for diver training and sometimes also recreational diving. Rock quarries may have reasonable underwater visibility if there is not so much mud or silt to cause low visibility. As they are not entirely natural environments and usually privately owned, quarries often contain features intentionally placed for divers to explore, such as sunken boats, automobiles, aircraft, and abandoned machinery and structures. Flooded mines may provide the equivalent of flooded caves with an [[overhead environment]], though generally with a known extent.

[[River]]s generally contain fresh water but are often shallow and turbid and may have strong currents.

[[Caves]] containing water provide exotic and interesting, though relatively hazardous, opportunities for [[cave diving|exploration]], and are found both inland and at the coast.

===Names of sites===
Divers may choose to get into the water to explore any arbitrary place where conditions appear to be good enough to justify the effort, but do not necessarily record what is there, or even that the site exists, but a popular recreational dive site will usually be named, and a [[geographical position]] identified and recorded, describing the site with enough accuracy to recognise it, and hopefully, find it again.

Names for the sites themselves range from descriptive through quixotic to pretentious, as they are chosen at the whim of whoever dives there and names the site. There is often no standardisation, and the same site may be known by different names to different divers. Few sites are reliably mapped or have a published description with an accurate position, and many of these are caves or wrecks of identified ships. It is also common for a dive site to be named after a charted feature, such as a reef, exposed rock, promontory, or other navigational landmark, and like landmarks, the same name may be used for more than one dive site. Other sites are named for ecological features, like a species common at the site, or one that was seen there on an exploration dive. Sites that are frequently used by commercial service providers may be given names which are intended to promote the site to potential customers.

===Popular features of dive sites===
{{see also|Recreational diving#Reasons to dive}} 
[[File:Coral reef locations.jpg|thumb|upright=2|[[NASA]] image [http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/lookingatearth/coralreef_image.html] showing locations of significant [[coral reef]]s, which are often sought out by divers for their abundant, diverse life forms.]]

There are a wide range of [[underwater]] features which may contribute to the popularity of a dive site:
* Accessibility is important, but not critical. Some divers will travel long distances at considerable cost to get to a site with exceptional features.
* [[Biodiversity]] at the site: Popular examples are [[coral]], [[sea sponge|sponge]]s, [[fish]], [[sting ray]]s, [[mollusc]]s, [[cetacea]]ns, [[Pinniped|seals]], [[shark]]s and [[crustacean]]s. Colourful organisms generally increase popularity of a site.
* The [[topography]] of the site: [[Coral reef]]s, walls (underwater [[cliff]]s), rocky [[reef]]s, gullies, [[cave]]s, overhangs and swim-throughs (short tunnels or arches) can be spectacular. Terminology for the topography of dive sites is generally consistent with oceanographic practice, with occasional more eccentric usage. 
* Historical or cultural items at the site: [[Shipwreck]]s, sunken [[aircraft]] and archaeological sites, apart from their historical value, form artificial [[habitat (ecology)|habitats]] for marine life making them more attractive as dive sites.
* Underwater [[visibility]]: This can vary widely between sites and with time and other conditions. Poor visibility is caused by suspended particles in the water, such as [[mud]], [[silt]], suspended [[organic matter]] and plankton. Currents and surge can stir up the particles. Rainfall runoff can carry particulate matter from the shore. Diving close to the sediments on the bottom can result in the particles being kicked up by the divers fins. Sites which generally have good visibility are preferred, but poor visibility will often be tolerated if the site is sufficiently attractive for other reasons.
* Water temperature: Warm water diving is comfortable and convenient, and requires less equipment. Although cold water is uncomfortable and can cause [[hypothermia]], cold water sites can be interesting because different species of underwater life thrive in cold conditions, and many interesting wrecks, caves and other features happen to be in cold water.
* Currents and [[tide|tidal flow]]s can transport [[nutrient]]s to underwater environments increasing the variety and [[biomass]] of life at a site. Currents can also be dangerous to divers as they can carry the diver away from the surface support or the planned exit point. Currents that flow over large obstructions can cause strong local vertical currents and turbulence that are dangerous because they may cause the diver to lose [[buoyancy]] control risking [[barotrauma]], or impact against the bottom terrain.

===Rating of sites===
Sites are generally rated for quality by people who do not have an exhaustive experience of the full range of sites throughout the world, and preferences differ. Criteria used for rating may differ, and are seldom specified. It is unlikely that any published ratings are unbiased, and they are not usually accompanied by a conflict of interest disclaimer. Conditions at most sites vary from day to day, often considerably, depending on various factors, particularly recent weather. The quality of the diving experience will also vary depending on the conditions at the time.

==Scuba diving tourism==
{{main|Scuba diving tourism}}
Scuba diving tourism is the industry based on servicing the requirements of [[recreational diver]]s at destinations other than where they live. It includes aspects of training, equipment sales, rental and service, guided experiences and [[environmental tourism]].<ref name="Dimmock et al 2013" /><ref name="Dimmock and Ghazali 2015" />

Customer satisfaction is largely dependent on the quality of services provided, and personal communication has a strong influence on the popularity of specific service providers in a region.<ref name="Dimmock et al 2013" />

Motivations to travel for scuba diving are complex and may vary considerably during the diver's development and experience. Participation can vary from once off to multiple dedicated trips per year over several decades. The popular destinations fall into several groups, including tropical reefs, shipwrecks and cave systems, each frequented by its own group of enthusiasts, with some overlap. Temperate and inland open water reef sites are generally dived by people who live relatively nearby.<ref name="Kler and Tribe 2012" /><ref name="Lucrezi et al 2019" />

Scuba diving tourism services are usually focused on providing visiting recreational divers with access to local dive sites, or organising group tours to regions where desirable dive sites exist.

The motivations of scuba divers to travel have been attributed to adventure, learning, escape, social interaction, stature, challenge and excitement, and while these are probably valid for most novice divers and some long term divers, the motivation of long term enthusiasts may be more complex. The development of a recreational diver from novice to experienced diver is usually associated with acquisition and improvement of skills, and is often accompanied by a shift in motivations to dive. Similarly, expectations of the diving experience, satisfaction with the experience available at different dive sites, and attitudes towards the underwater environment will change in divers who continue to dive over the longer term and relatively frequently. The desire to improve and learn for personal growth and the long term satisfaction and fulfilment derived from this learning is common in such divers. This could be an important factor informing the planning and management of diving tourism.<ref name="Kler and Tribe 2012" /><ref name="Lucrezi et al 2019" />

==Regions of notable biodiversity==



===Tropical===
[[file:ISS-45 StoryOfWater, Great Barrier Reef, Australia.jpg|thumb|Image of part of the Great Barrier Reef adjacent to [[Queensland]], taken from the [[International Space Station]] ]]

The [[Great Barrier Reef]] is the world's largest [[coral reef]] system,<ref name="UNEP" /><ref name="GBRWHV" />composed of over 2,900 individual reefs<ref>The [[Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area]], which is 348,000&nbsp;km squared, has 2900 reefs. However, this does not include the reefs found in the [[Torres Strait]], which has an estimated area of 37,000&nbsp;km squared and with a possible 750 reefs and shoals. {{harvnb|Hopley|Smithers|Parnell|2007| p= 1}}</ref> and 900 islands stretching for over {{convert|2300|km|mi}} over an area of approximately {{convert|344400|km2|mi2}}.<ref name="Fodors"/><ref name="1975review" /> The reef is located in the [[Coral Sea]], off the coast of [[Queensland]], [[Australia]], separated from the coast by a channel {{Convert|100|mi|km|order=flip}} wide in places and over {{Convert|200|ft|m|order=flip}} deep.<ref name="Leong 1995"/> The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from [[outer space]] and is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms.<ref name="Belfield 2002" /> This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as [[coral]] [[polyp (zoology)|polyp]]s.<ref name="billions" /> It supports a wide diversity of life and was selected as a [[World Heritage Site]] in 1981.<ref name="UNEP"/><ref name="GBRWHV"/> [[CNN]] labelled it one of the [[Seven Wonders of the World#Seven Natural Wonders of the World|Seven Natural Wonders of the World]] in 1997.<ref name="CNN" /> A large part of the reef is protected by the [[Great Barrier Reef Marine Park]], which helps to limit the impact of human use, such as fishing and tourism.Tourism is an important economic activity for the region, generating over [[Australian dollar|AUD$]]3&nbsp;billion per year.<ref name="economics"/>

[[File:Raja Ampat fun dive.jpg|thumb|A diver in [[Raja Ampat Islands|Raja Ampat]]]]

With more than 17,508 [[island]]s, [[Indonesia]] has many regions suitable for recreational diving. With 20% of the world's coral reefs, over 3,000 different species of fish and about 600 coral species, deep water trenches, volcanic sea mounts, World War II wrecks, and an very large variety of [[macro life]], [[Tourism in Indonesia#Dive sites|scuba diving in Indonesia]] is excellent and relatively inexpensive.<ref name="Dive the world" />[[Bunaken National Park|Bunaken National Marine Park]], at the northern tip of [[Sulawesi]], claims to have seven times more genera of [[coral]] than [[Hawaii]],<ref name="NorthSulawesiBunaken" /> and has more than 70% of all the known fish species of the [[Western Indo-Pacific]].<ref name="bunakendiving" /> Other popular dive sites are on Bali at [[Candidasa]] and [[Menjangan Island|Menjangan]]. Across the [[Badung Strait]] from Bali, there are several popular dive sites on [[Nusa Lembongan]] and [[Nusa Penida]]. [[Lombok]]'s three [[Gili Islands|Gilis]] ([[Gili Air]], [[Gili Meno]] and [[Gili Trawangan]]) are popular, as is [[Bangka Island|Bangka]]. [[Saronde Island]] is also a  popular area in [[Gorontalo]], Sulawesi. Some of the most famous diving sites in Indonesia are also the most difficult to reach, like [[Biak]] off the coast of Papua and the [[Alor Archipelago]].
*[[Red Sea#Tourism|The Red Sea]]
*[[Caribbean Sea#Economy and human activity|Caribbean sea]]
*The [[iSimangaliso Marine Protected Area]] is a coastal and offshore marine protected area in [[KwaZulu-Natal]] from the South Africa-Mozambique border in the north to Cape St Lucia lighthouse in the south.<ref name="Gazette 39646 I" /> There is a diving resort area serving this MPA at [[Sodwana Bay]]. The recreational diving area is in the tropical [[Delagoa ecoregion]] in the north of kwaZulu-Natal, which extends from [[Cape Vidal]] northwards into Mozambique. There are some species endemic to South Africa along this coastline, but most of the species are tropical Indo-Pacific.<ref name="Sink et al 2004" /> This is one of the very few places that [[coelacanth]]s have been seen in their natural habitat by divers.

===Temperate===
[[File:Dive sites of Cape Town.png|thumb|upright=1.5|Recreational dive sites of the greater Cape Town region. The yellow lines indicate the boundary of the Table Mountain National Park MPA.]]
[[File:Marine Bioregions of the South African EEZ.png|thumb|Marine bioregions of the South African coast]]
The [[Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area]]<!--proper name--> around the [[Cape Peninsula]] is a popular diving region in the [[Atlantic Ocean]], in the vicinity of [[Cape Town]], [[South Africa]], with more than 250 named dive sites, many of which have been surveyed and mapped. The Cape Peninsula marks the boundary between the cool temperate [[Benguela ecoregion]], which extends from [[Namibia]] to [[Cape Point]], and is dominated by the cold [[Benguela Current]], and the warm temperate [[Agulhas ecoregion]] to the east of Cape Point which extends eastwards to the [[Mbashe River]]. The break at Cape Point is very distinct in the inshore depth ranges, and the waters of the east and west sides of the peninsula support noticeably different ecologies, though there is a significant overlap of [[List of marine animals of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay|resident organisms]]. There are a large proportion of species endemic to South Africa along this coastline.<ref name="Pfaff et al 2019" /><ref name="Gazette 26431" /><ref name="Sink et al 2004" />

The [[Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area]] in the south coast of South Africa is another temperate region of high biodiversity and endemism, but the tourism infrastructure is not optimised for diving, as the sea conditions are somewhat unpredictable.

====Polar====

{{empty section|date=July 2024}}

==Types of dive sites==
{{see also|Index of recreational dive sites}}
Dive sites may be classified under various types, and some sites fall under more than one of these types.

===Wreck dive sites===
{{see also|Outline of recreational dive sites#Wreck dive sites|Wreck diving}}

Wreck diving is recreational diving where the [[shipwreck|wreckage of ships]], aircraft and other artificial structures is visited.<ref name="LiveAboard" /> Although most wreck dive sites are the remains of ships sunk by accident or enemy action in times of war, there are a large number of [[Sinking ships for wreck diving sites|ships scuttled to create dive sites]] at places where the conditions are more suitable for recreational diving.<ref name="PADI Wreck diver" /> The recreation of wreck diving makes no distinction as to how the vessel ended up on the bottom, though this may be of importance to the individual diver, and some wreck hunters spend large amounts of time and money in searches for unlocated wrecks. There is a large overlap between recreational and archaeological wreck hunting and diving, and in some cases between recreational wreck diving and unauthorised recovery of artifacts. Some wreck diving involves [[Penetration diving|penetration]] of the wreckage, making a direct ascent to the surface impossible for a part of the dive. Only a small fraction of the world's shipwrecks are in known positions suitable for access by divers, and their condition deteriorates over time.<ref name="DTmag" />

===Reef dive sites===
{{see also|Outline of recreational dive sites#Reef dive sites|List of reefs}}

In the context of recreational diving, a reef may be a [[coral reef]] or a bottom of predominantly consolidated inorganic material, like [[rocky reef]], and in the broader sense includes [[Coastal engineering|artificial structures]] and even ships sunk as [[artificial reef]]s. 

Reef diving regions are geographical regions of arbitrary size known for including more than one named reef dive site, while a reef dive site is a specific part of a reef known by a name, which recreational divers visit to dive.

[[Coral reef]] areas generally refer to reefs built by tropical stony corals, but soft corals and other non-reef-uilding corals may be found over a much wider range of sea temperatures and depths, an in many cases are more colourful than the reef-building corals. The attractions of tropical reef building corls are more in the structure of the reef, which cn ve very complex, and the high biodiversity of animals of these reefs.

[[Rocky reef]]s are more widespread, and though the structure is usually relatively simple, they may support a wide variety of seaweed and benthic invertebrates, some of which may be very colourful, and form a dense layer on the geological reef structure, to the extent that the actual rock may seldom be visible. Much depends on the biological productivity of the reef, which can be strongly affected by currents, river inflow, and particularly areas subject to deep-water [[upwelling]]s, such as on the temperate west coasts of several continents and islands.

===Cave dive sites===
{{see also|Outline of recreational dive sites#Cave dive sites |Cave diving#Cave diving venues}}
[[Cave diving]] is underwater diving in water-filled caves. It may be considered an extreme sport due to the range of hazards and the difficulty of mitigating them to an acceptable level. The equipment used varies depending on the circumstances, and ranges from breath hold to surface supplied, but almost all cave diving is done using scuba equipment, often in specialised configurations. Recreational cave diving is generally considered to be a type of technical diving due to the lack of a free surface during large parts of the dive, and often involves decompression.

A distinction is made by recreational diver training agencies between cave diving and cavern diving, where cavern diving is deemed to be diving in those parts of a cave where the exit to [[open water (diving)|open water]] can be seen by natural light. An arbitrary distance limit to the open water surface may also be specified.<ref name="cavedivingdotcom" /> There are relatively few practitioners of cave diving. This is due in part to the specialized equipment and skill sets required, and in part because of the high potential risks due to the specific environment. Despite these risks, water-filled caves attract scuba divers, [[caving|cavers]], and [[speleology|speleologists]] due to their often unexplored nature, and present [[Underwater diving|divers]] with a technical diving challenge. Underwater caves have a wide range of physical features, and can contain [[Stygofauna|fauna]] not found elsewhere.

===Artificial reefs===
{{see also|Artificial reef|Outline of recreational dive sites#Reef dive sites}} 
[[File:Artificialreef.JPG|thumb|Constructing an artificial reef using [[Concrete masonry unit|concrete breeze blocks]]<ref name="Aspinall 2016" />]] 
An artificial reef is a human-created underwater structure, typically built to promote [[Marine biology#Reefs|marine life]] in areas with a generally featureless bottom, to control [[#Erosion prevention|erosion]], block ship passage, block the use of [[trawling]] nets,<ref name="nikkei" /> or improve [[#Artificial surfing reefs|surfing]].

Many reefs are built using objects that were built for other purposes, such as by sinking [[oil rig]]s (through the [[Rigs-to-Reefs]] program), [[Sinking ships for wreck diving sites|scuttling ships]], or by deploying [[rubble]] or [[construction debris]]. Other artificial reefs are purpose-built (e.g. the [[The Reef Ball Foundation|reef balls]]) from [[Polyvinyl chloride|PVC]] or concrete. Shipwrecks may become artificial reefs when preserved on the seafloor. Jetties and breakwaters are secondarily artificial reefs. Regardless of construction method, artificial reefs generally provide hard surfaces where [[algae]] and sessile ebibenthic invertebrates such as [[barnacle]]s, [[coral]]s, and [[oyster]]s attach; the accumulation of attached marine life in turn provides intricate habitat and food for mobile benthic invertebrates and [[biocenose|assemblages]] of fish.

Occasionally sculpture works have been placed underwater singly or in groups, as attractions for divers, and they also function as artificial reefs.<ref name="Perdomo" /><ref name="Mackley" /><ref name="SciAm" /><ref name="BBC" />

===Quarry dive sites===
<!-- target of redirect [[Scuba diving quarry]] -->
[[File:Wazee 007.jpg|thumb|right|[[Wazee Lake]] near [[Black River Falls, Wisconsin]] is a former iron mining quarry now used for scuba diving and other uses.]]
{{see also|Outline of recreational dive sites#Flooded quarries}} 
Scuba diving quarries are depleted or abandoned [[Quarry|rock quarries]] that have been allowed to fill with ground water, and rededicated to the purpose of [[scuba diving]]. 
They may offer deep, clean, clear, still, fresh water with excellent visibility, or low visibility in turbid water from [[surface runoff]]. They have no currents or undertow. They are often used as [[Diver training|training]] sites for new divers, where classes and [[Diver certification|certification]] dives are carried out. Many have a [[Dive center|dive shop]] on site to rent out equipment and sell [[Diving air compressor|air fills]] and diving equipment. Lodging or camping areas may be available on site.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}

Quarries in stone may have clear water, with greater visibility than in many inland lakes. Ground water is the primary source of the water that fills these quarries once they are no longer pumped out for mining operations. Many quarry mining operations are located in areas where filling from other, less clean sources, such as rivers and surface runoff of rainwater is not as likely.

Over time, most quarries tend to be contaminated with erosion products and nutrients from surface runoff, causing many to develop a green tint due to algae growth, and accumulations of silt on the bottoms and other surfaces.

Fresh water scuba diving does not require much difference in equipment from diving in the sea. Water temperatures generally decrease as depth increases, and may be as low as {{convert|4|C|F}} at depth. In those temperatures [[dry suit]] diving is recommended, but in warmer temperatures, wetsuits may be sufficient. Diving in clean fresh water generally requires less post dive maintenance.

The operators of scuba diving quarries may add objects or debris fields to the bottom of the quarry for divers to explore while scuba diving. Mostly these are man made objects such as boats, cars, and trucks. Some quarries have such large objects as school buses, small buildings, or commercial airliners on the bottom. These sites may be mapped out and marked with guide lines under the water, particularly if visibility is poor.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}

The owners or operators of quarries may stock the quarry with fish to provide entertainment for divers. These are commonly the same species of fish that thrive naturally in local lakes and rivers, but some quarries are stocked with more exotic fish. The ecology is usually very limited.

==Environmental impact of recreational diving==
{{main|Environmental impact of recreational diving}}

The environmental impact of recreational diving is the effects of diving tourism on the marine environment. Usually these are considered to be adverse effects, and include damage to reef organisms by incompetent and ignorant divers, but there may also be positive effects when the environment is recognised by the local communities to be worth more in good condition than degraded by inappropriate use, which encourages conservation efforts.

During the 20th century recreational scuba diving was considered to have generally low environmental impact, and was consequently one of the activities permitted in most marine protected areas. Since the 1970s diving has changed from an elite activity to a more accessible recreation, marketed to a very wide demographic. To some extent better equipment has been substituted for more rigorous training, and the reduction in perceived risk has shortened minimum training requirements by several training agencies. Training has concentrated on an acceptable risk to the diver, and paid less attention to the environment. The increase in the popularity of diving and in tourist access to sensitive ecological systems has led to the recognition that the activity can have significant environmental consequences.<ref name="Hammerton 2014" />

Scuba diving has grown in popularity during the 21st century, as is shown by the number of certifications issued worldwide, which has increased to about 23 million by 2016 at about one million per year.<ref name="Lucrezi 2016" /> [[Scuba diving tourism]] is a growth industry, and it is necessary to consider [[environmental sustainability]], as the expanding impact of divers can adversely affect the [[marine environment]] in several ways, and the impact also depends on the specific environment. Tropical coral reefs are more easily damaged by poor diving skills than some temperate reefs, where the environment is more robust due to rougher sea conditions and fewer fragile, slow-growing organisms. The same pleasant sea conditions that allow development of relatively delicate and highly diverse ecologies also attract the greatest number of tourists, including divers who dive infrequently, exclusively on vacation and never fully develop the skills to dive in an environmentally friendly way.<ref name="Dimmock et al 2013" /> [[Low impact diving]] training has been shown to be effective in reducing diver contact.<ref name="Hammerton 2014" />

Environmental impact can expand in scope when a destination is commercially developed to provide more facilities to encourage the expansion of tourism.

==References==
{{Reflist |refs=

<ref name=1975review>{{cite web|author=Department of the Environment and Heritage|title=Review of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975|url=http://www.deh.gov.au/coasts/publications/gbr-marine-park-act.html|access-date=2 November 2006|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061018005108/http://www.deh.gov.au/coasts/publications/gbr-marine-park-act.html |archive-date = 18 October 2006|url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name="Aspinall 2016" >{{cite web | last=Aspinall | first=Richard | title=From concrete to coral: breeze blocks make a splash regenerating reefs | website=The Guardian | date=2016-09-20 | url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2016/sep/20/from-concrete-to-coral-breeze-blocks-make-a-splash-regenerating-reefs | access-date=2021-01-04 | archive-date=2020-12-23 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201223110952/https://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2016/sep/20/from-concrete-to-coral-breeze-blocks-make-a-splash-regenerating-reefs | url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="BBC" >{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/arts/2010/10/101012_strand_jasondecairestaylor.shtml |title=Underwater sculpture saving coral reefs |publisher=BBC World Service |date=14 October 2010 |access-date=23 July 2021 |archive-date=23 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723071928/http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/arts/2010/10/101012_strand_jasondecairestaylor.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="Belfield 2002">{{cite web |url=http://www.ga.gov.au/media/releases/2002/1013133456_20385.jsp |title=Great Barrier Reef: no buried treasure |author=Sarah Belfield |publisher=Geoscience Australia (Australian Government) |date=8 February 2002 |access-date=11 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071001045912/http://www.ga.gov.au/media/releases/2002/1013133456_20385.jsp |archive-date=1 October 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

<ref name=billions>{{cite news |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1590/is_1_57/ai_65370824 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120708000309/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1590/is_1_57/ai_65370824/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 July 2012 |author=Sharon Guynup |date=4 September 2000 |work=[[Science World (magazine)|Science World]] |title=Australia's Great Barrier Reef |access-date=11 June 2007 }}</ref>

<ref name="cavedivingdotcom" >{{cite web |url=https://cavediving.com/what/cavern/ |title=How cavern and cave diving differ |website=cavediving.com |accessdate=17 June 2022 |archive-date=22 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922030210/https://cavediving.com/what/cavern/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="CoP Inshore 2017">{{cite book |url=http://us-cdn.creamermedia.co.za/assets/articles/attachments/71948_41237_gon1235.pdf |title=NO. 1235 Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993: Diving regulations: Inclusion of code of practice inshore diving 41237. Code of Practice Inshore Diving |last=Diving Advisory Board |publisher=Department of Labour, Republic of South Africa |date=10 November 2017 |pages=72–139 |access-date=24 December 2018 |archive-date=12 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012180512/http://us-cdn.creamermedia.co.za/assets/articles/attachments/71948_41237_gon1235.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

<ref name="CoP Scientific">{{cite book |url=http://www.labour.gov.za/DOL/downloads/documents/useful-documents/occupational-health-and-safety/scientificdiving2014.pdf |title=Code Of Practice for Scientific Diving |last=Diving Advisory Board |publisher=The South African Department of Labour |access-date=16 September 2016 |location=Pretoria |archive-date=9 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161109155455/http://www.labour.gov.za/DOL/downloads/documents/useful-documents/occupational-health-and-safety/scientificdiving2014.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

<ref name="CNN" >{{cite news |publisher=CNN |year=1997 |title=The Seven Natural Wonders of the World |url=http://www.cnn.com/TRAVEL/DESTINATIONS/9711/natural.wonders/ |access-date=6 August 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060721011803/http://www.cnn.com/TRAVEL/DESTINATIONS/9711/natural.wonders/ |archive-date=21 July 2006 }}</ref> 

<ref name="Dimmock et al 2013" >{{cite book |chapter-url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259489022 |title=Scuba Diving Tourism |chapter=Chapter 10: The business of Scuba diving |pages=161–173 |publisher=Routledge |year=2013 |first1=Kay |last1=Dimmock |first2=Terry |last2=Cummins |first3=Ghazali |last3=Musa |editor1-first=Ghazali |editor1-last=Musa |editor2-first=Kay |editor2-last=Dimmock |access-date=2019-12-29 |archive-date=2021-07-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723092824/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259489022_Kay_Dimmock_Terry_Cummins_and_Ghazali_Musa_2013_The_Business_of_SCUBA_Diving_Chapter_10_161-173_in_SCUBA_Diving_Tourism_edited_by_Ghazali_Musa_and_Kay_DimmockRoutledge_London_and_New_York |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="Dimmock and Ghazali 2015" >{{cite book |title=Scuba diving tourism system: a framework for collaborative management and sustainability |url=https://epubs.scu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1007&context=bus_tourism_pubs |editor1-last=Dimmock |editor1-first=Kay |editor2-last=Musa |editor2-first=Ghazali |year=2015 |publisher=Southern Cross University School of Business and Tourism |access-date=2019-12-29 |archive-date=2016-03-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160326034653/http://epubs.scu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1007&context=bus_tourism_pubs |url-status=live }}</ref><!-- contains list of 101 references-->

<ref name="Dive the world" >{{cite web |url=http://www.dive-the-world.com/diving-sites-indonesia.php |title=Scuba Diving in Indonesia: Komodo, Bali, Sulawesi and More |website=Dive-the-world.com |access-date=11 June 2015}}</ref> 

<ref name="DTmag" >{{cite web |url=https://dtmag.com/thelibrary/scuba-wreck-diving/ |title=Sunken Treasures: What Makes Divers Love Wreck Diving |first= Jesse |last=Cancelmo |website=dtmag.com |publisher=Dive Training Magazine |access-date=12 April 2024 }}</ref>

<ref name="economics">{{cite web|author=Access Economics Pty Ltd|year=2005|title=Measuring the economic and financial value of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park|url=http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/5584/gbrmpa_RP84_Measuring_The_Economic_And_Financial_Value_Of_The_GBRMP_2005.pdf|access-date=2 March 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130429200133/http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/5584/gbrmpa_RP84_Measuring_The_Economic_And_Financial_Value_Of_The_GBRMP_2005.pdf|archive-date=29 April 2013}}</ref>

<ref name="Fodors">{{cite web|author=Fodor's|title=Great Barrier Reef Travel Guide|url=http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgresults.cfm?destination=great_barrier@230&cur_section=ove|access-date=8 August 2006|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514032401/http://www.fodors.com/world/australia-and-the-pacific/australia/queensland/great-barrier-reef/|archive-date=14 May 2013}}</ref>

<ref name="Gazette 26431" >{{cite journal |url=https://www.sanparks.org/parks/table_mountain/library/mpa_gove_note.pdf |date=4 June 2004 |title=Government Notice 695: Marine Living Resources Act (18/1998): Notice declaring the Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area under section 43 |journal=Government Gazette |pages=3–9 |access-date=29 December 2019 |archive-date=4 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190204230934/https://www.sanparks.org/parks/table_mountain/library/mpa_gove_note.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

<ref name="Gazette 39646 I" >{{cite journal |url=http://www.gpwonline.co.za/Gazettes/Gazettes/39646_3-2_EnvAffairs.pdf |journal=Regulation Gazette No. 10553 |title=R118. Draft Regulations for the management of the Isimangaliso Marine Protected Area |volume=608 |issue=39646 |date=3 February 2016 |publisher=Government Printer |location=Pretoria |access-date=29 December 2019 |archive-date=7 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170207182757/http://www.gpwonline.co.za/Gazettes/Gazettes/39646_3-2_EnvAffairs.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

<!-- <ref name="GBR bleaching">{{cite news|title=Great Barrier Reef coral bleaching more widespread than first thought|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|url=https://www.smh.com.au/environment/great-barrier-reef-coral-bleaching-more-widespread-than-first-thought-surveys-reveal-20160331-gnux7x.html|date=31 March 2016|access-date=2 April 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160403042953/http://www.smh.com.au/environment/great-barrier-reef-coral-bleaching-more-widespread-than-first-thought-surveys-reveal-20160331-gnux7x.html|archive-date=3 April 2016}}</ref> -->

<ref name=GBRWHV>{{cite web|title=The Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Values|url=http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/places/world/great-barrier-reef/values.html|access-date=3 September 2008|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509112200/http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/places/world/great-barrier-reef/values.html|archive-date=9 May 2013}}</ref> 

<ref name="Hammerton 2014" >{{cite thesis |publisher=Southern Cross University |date=2014 |title=SCUBA-diver impacts and management strategies for subtropical marine protected areas |first=Zan |last=Hammerton |url=https://epubs.scu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1456&context=theses |access-date=2019-12-29 |archive-date=2020-05-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200526064457/https://epubs.scu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1456&context=theses |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="Kler and Tribe 2012" >{{Cite journal |title=Flourishing Through Scuba: Understanding the Pursuit of Dive Experiences |journal=Tourism in Marine Environments |first1=Balvinder Kaur |last1=Kler |first2=John |last2=Tribe |volume=8 |issue=1/2 |pages=19–32 |date=2012 |doi=10.3727/154427312X13262430524027 |url=https://www.academia.edu/4170774 |access-date=2021-09-21 |archive-date=2021-09-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921153850/https://www.academia.edu/4170774 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="Leong 1995">{{Cite book|last=Leong|first=Goh Cheng|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XhJ4RAAACAAJ&q=certificate+physical+and+human+geography|title=Certificate Physics And Human Geography; Indian Edition|year=1995|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-562816-6|pages=81|language=en|access-date=21 January 2022|archive-date=20 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220620214553/https://books.google.com/books?id=XhJ4RAAACAAJ&q=certificate+physical+and+human+geography|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="Lexicon" >{{cite web |url=http://www.iadclexicon.org/dive-site/ |title=Drilling Lexicon |date=27 June 2013 |publisher=IADC |access-date=24 December 2018 |archive-date=24 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181224220414/http://www.iadclexicon.org/dive-site/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="LiveAboard" >{{cite web|title=Wreck Diving Essentials |url=https://www.liveaboard.com/diving/scuba/wreck-diving |website=www.liveaboard.com |access-date=12 April 2024 }}</ref>

<ref name="Lucrezi 2016" >{{cite web |url=http://theconversation.com/how-scuba-diving-is-warding-off-threats-to-its-future-52504 |title=How scuba diving is warding off threats to its future |date=18 January 2016 |last=Lucrezi |first=Serena |website=The Conversation |access-date=5 September 2019 |archive-date=25 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125151346/https://theconversation.com/how-scuba-diving-is-warding-off-threats-to-its-future-52504 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="Lucrezi et al 2019" >{{cite journal|last1=Lucrezi |first1=S |last2=Milanese |first2=M |last3=Cerrano |first3=C |last4=Palma |first4=M. |title=The influence of scuba diving experience on divers' perceptions, and its implications for managing diving destinations  |journal= PLOS ONE|date=5 July 2019 |volume=14 |issue=7 |pages = e0219306|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0219306 |pmid=31276482 |pmc = 6611629|bibcode = 2019PLoSO..1419306L|doi-access=free }}</ref>

<ref name="Mackley" >{{cite web |last=Mackley |first=Brian |url=https://www.militarytimes.com/news/2019/08/05/the-first-underwater-veterans-memorial-is-open-for-divers/ |title=The first underwater veterans memorial is open for divers |publisher=Sightline Media Group: Military Times |date=5 August 2019 |access-date=2 November 2019 |archive-date=13 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191113183049/https://www.militarytimes.com/news/2019/08/05/the-first-underwater-veterans-memorial-is-open-for-divers/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="nikkei" >{{cite web |url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Life-Arts/Life/Cambodia-volunteers-step-up-battle-against-illegal-fishing |title=Cambodia volunteers step up battle against illegal fishing |website=asia.nikkei.com |first=Denis D. |last=Gray |date=2 June 2018 |access-date=23 July 2021 |archive-date=23 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723063840/https://asia.nikkei.com/Life-Arts/Life/Cambodia-volunteers-step-up-battle-against-illegal-fishing |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="NorthSulawesiBunaken">{{Cite web|title=North Sulawesi: Bunaken|publisher=Official Website of the North Sulawesi Tourism Promotion Board|url=http://www.north-sulawesi.org/bunaken.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110411014854/http://www.north-sulawesi.org/bunaken.html|archive-date=11 April 2011|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

<ref name="Nova Scotia" >{{cite book |url=https://novascotia.ca/lae/healthandsafety/docs/OccupationalDivingRegGuideSeafood.pdf |title=A Guide to the Occupational Diving Regulations for the Seafood Harvesting Industry |chapter=Dive Site and Dive Base |publisher=Nova Scotia Environment and Labour Occupational Health and Safety Division |page=4 |access-date=2018-12-25 |archive-date=2017-09-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170924040302/https://novascotia.ca/lae/healthandsafety/docs/OccupationalDivingRegGuideSeafood.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="Ontario" >{{cite book |title=Ontario Regulation 629/94, Amended to O. Reg. 155/04 Diving Operations |chapter=Definitions |url=http://www.ihsa.ca/webhelp/Diving_Regulation/Definitions.htm |access-date=2018-12-25 |archive-date=2018-12-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226035218/http://www.ihsa.ca/webhelp/Diving_Regulation/Definitions.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="PADI Wreck diver" >{{cite web|url=https://www.padi.com/courses/wreck-diver |title=Wreck Diver |website=www.padi.com |access-date=12 April 2024 }}</ref> 

<ref name="Perdomo" >{{cite magazine |last=Perdomo |first=Gabriela |title=Is Art Better down Where It's Wetter? |magazine=Maclean's |volume=125 |issue=9 |date=12 March 2012 |page= 82}}</ref>

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<ref name=UNEP>{{cite web|author=UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre |year=1980 |title=Protected Areas and World Heritage – Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area |url=http://www.unep-wcmc.org/protected_areas/data/wh/gbrmp.html |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20080511100752/http://www.unep-wcmc.org/protected_areas/data/wh/gbrmp.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 May 2008 |publisher=[[Department of the Environment and Heritage]] |access-date=14 March 2009 }}</ref>

}}

==External links==
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{{Underwater diving|recdiv}}
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[[Category:Underwater diving sites| ]]