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As An Eco Tourist, You Should:
Enjoy nature but don't chase or touch animals
Not remove anything that is part of the natural environment
Urge your guides to act responsibly and tip them for their cooperation
Stay on trails or other designated areas and leave the site cleaner than when you found it
Report environmental damage to authorities and encourage responsible behavior in others
Patronize locally owned businesses, but avoid items made from endangered species, threatened species, coral or tropical hardwoods.
Interact with and show respect for local people, their culture and their traditions. Talk with them about environmental issues affecting their area. Visitors respecting a destination are key to ecotourism
Protect threatened fisheries by choosing seafood items caught or harvested from sustainable native fish populations
Practice buoyancy control skills in a pool or sandy area before swimming near a coral reef or any sensitive environment. Make sure your equipment is secured, you're weighted properly and be
careful not to touch, stand on or collect coral
Be an AWARE diver - enroll in a Project AWARE Specialty course to increase your knowledge about the environment and learn sustainable dive practice knowledge
Participate in local conservation activities when available and support
established parks and reserves |
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As An Eco Operator, You Will:
Provide dive experiences that enhance visitor awareness, appreciation and understanding of the local aquatic environment
Use recycled products whenever possible
Participate in local conservation efforts and support established parks and reserves
Not sell items made from endangered species, threatened species, corals or tropical hardwoods
Respect local people, culture and traditions while abiding by local laws and regulations
Provide pre-dive briefings on responsible dive practices such as:
Proper buoyancy control
Securing equipment and streamlining body position
Maintaining distance from sensitive environments
Not touching or chasing animals
Abiding by all fish and game regulations
Use mooring buoys or drift diving techniques whenever possible to avoid damage to underwater habitat
Offer Project AWARE specialty courses that teach customers about ecology and conservation
Display environmental public awareness materials and provide community involvement opportunities
Use environmentally sound methods of rubbish disposal |
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