Seeing natural coral reefs up close may be something that many people hope to see in their lifetime, but only people who dive have the opportunity to do so, unless you visit an interactive public aquarium. What can divers and the rest of us do to help protect the world’s natural coral reefs?

About twenty-five percent of the world’s marine life lives on coral reefs. These reefs support over 4,000 different species of fish! Some of these fish are harvested to feed humans. Damage to coral reefs can reduce or eliminate the living environments for these fish. The reduction in fish food could be devasting, especially for local cultures who count on these fish for daily sustenance.

Coral reefs provide aesthetic benefits and help maintain a healthy ecosystem. In addition, strong and healthy coral structures help coastal communities weather storms by slowing down an ocean’s inland waterflow and prevent coastal erosion.

Because corals consume particulates in the water, the water surrounding them is clear and offers an advantage to local communities that tourism brings.

If you’re a diver, there are many ways your actions can impact natural coral reefs.

Firstly, when planning a diving trip that will include diving in coral reefs, you can start by booking your trip with a Green Fins member. Members of this group adhere to codes of conduct that are designed to protect corals and marine life.

When packing for your trip, plan ahead. Purchase and use personal products such as shampoos, sunscreens, etc. that are reef friendly.

While diving, stirring the sediment can also smother corals because they lose the ability to photosynthesize.

Don’t feed fish when you’re diving. This could cause disruption in their natural ecosystem.

If you’re swimming in open water, you can take a lesson from divers and use personal products that will not disrupt the water’s natural ecosystem.

Littering is a large component that leads to reduced water quality. Keeping litter out of the water will help protect coral reefs and fish that inhabit.

You can help support healthy coral reefs by donating to an organization or charity that is focused on ocean and marine life health.

When on vacation, look for sustainable gifts and avoid purchasing souvenirs that contain coral or marine life that have been taken from their natural habitat. Even dead or empty shells play a part in their natural environment. When the demand for these souvenirs disappears, less people will be selling them.

Aquarium owners can choose to stock their aquariums with aquacultured coral fragments or captive-bred marine life, which reduces the number of wild caught specimens sold in the aquarium trade.

We can all do our part to protect the world’s coral reefs.