If you've ever been snorkeling, then you know it's one of the most fun and unique ways to connect with nature. But, snorkeling can be more than just an enjoyable activity! It can also be a powerful tool for conservation efforts. Snorkelers and scuba divers have a special and privileged position in the underwater environment. Through these activities, you can enact change that starts a positive ripple effect for marine life.
Snorkeling provides an opportunity for citizen scientists to make observations about the ocean.
If you’re a snorkeler, then you know the ocean is one of the most beautiful places in the world. There are so many marine plants and animals to see and explore! But did you know that snorkeling can also be used as a research tool for marine conservation?
Snorkeling can provide valuable data on underwater flora and fauna. With easy access to local reefs, citizen scientists are able to collect information and even samples from these areas with ease. This data can then be sent back to experts who will analyze it for information such as biodiversity in an area or species population size over time. Many coral reef citizen science projects simply want to know the level of bleaching in a given area, based on a color gradient you could download online.
This type of research helps scientists understand how different ecosystems function, and how they are influenced by human activity. This is especially important when we consider how the ocean is being influenced by human-caused environmental shifts, like climate change and rising sea temperatures. Disappointing and harmful phenomena like coral bleaching and plastic pollution are caused by human activity. Snorkelers can view these impacts firsthand, and collect data that could be helpful in understanding where, why, and how the events are happening.
On the other hand, citizen science projects provide an opportunity for the dissemination of scientific practice. Science and marine research is so often kept in a professional silo, away from the people and communities that live and work in coastal areas every day. These communities usually have vast amounts of knowledge about the marine environment they inhabit that has been passed down and refined for generations. Citizen science projects harness the power of local knowledge, while sharing principles of scientific research that can be mutually beneficial for all parties involved.
On your next snorkeling expedition, be sure to research any citizen science or data collection initiatives going on in the area. These projects are always looking for dedicated volunteers that can gather data and information while also enjoying themselves underwater. There are even some underwater exhibitions that allow you to help restore marine environments while you’re snorkeling! Be sure to collaborate and consult with the experts and scientists before interacting at all with any sea life.
Snorkelers can help raise awareness of conservation issues through social media.
Sharing your underwater experiences can be a great way to make people aware of the beauty of the ocean, and why we need to save it! Raising awareness through photography is a great way to educate your friends and family about environmental issues. By sharing your photos on social media, you have the power to change minds, shape opinions, and raise serious awareness about particular issues. You may even inspire someone to embark on a snorkeling expedition of their own!
Consider how your snorkeling or scuba diving experiences can become a force for good by selecting an ocean conservation issue, researching it, and sharing it with your audiences! They might be reminded to reconsider their single-use plastic use because of your efforts.
It’s also good practice to inform your followers about the principles of ethical snorkeling and diving. Many people could use a reminder that not all guided snorkeling expeditions are created equal, and we should do what we can to support sustainable practice.
Snorkeling helps people develop emotional connections to amazing undersea environments, which can create a desire to protect them.
Perhaps the most profound way that being underwater can help save the ocean is that it changes your perspective and how you see yourself in the world. Snorkeling is an eye-opening experience that creates a strong emotional connection to the environment, unlike just seeing photos or videos of it. Any serious swimmer can tell you how magical and unique this connection can become. And while it feels like being a part of another planetary world, it also feels like coming home to the nature of which we are all a part.
The strength and beauty of this type of relationship can be used to help protect marine life by generating support for conservation efforts, encouraging responsible tourism practices, and influencing consumer choices. The more people that understand this connection, the more people that will respect the ocean and make decisions accordingly. This affinity for ocean life, created by a firsthand underwater experience, can carry over into behavior changes. And individual behavior changes can have a massive impact on the environment!
Next time you go snorkeling, take a moment to be present and consider the gravity of what you are witnessing. The ocean is a special place, and being a guest in its depths can light a fire in our hearts to protect it as much as we can.
Don't forget to dive responsibly, and research your diving company.
If you decide to go on a snorkeling or scuba diving tour, be sure to research the company and tour guide to ensure they are following ethical and sustainable guidelines. Tour companies should be following basic ocean conservation rules, and have a responsibility to do everything they can to protect the waters they work in. By supporting sustainable tourism, you can give your money to businesses that really make an effort to conserve and protect ocean life. This is just another way that the snorkeling industry can have a real impact on conservation efforts.
All it takes is one snorkeling trip to change your life, and possibly even help change our world. The beauty of snorkeling is that it's accessible to nearly everyone who can swim. Anyone with a mask and fins can enjoy the underwater world by simply jumping into the water, swimming out beyond their depth, and becoming one with nature again! Don’t underestimate the power an emotional connection with underwater life and conscious snorkeling choices can have on conservation efforts.
