Coastal Tourism

General Tips
When booking your holiday, choose a destination where active reef management is in place, e.g. marine parks.

Minimise the use of freshwater, use biodegradable shampoos and dispose of your litter and any other litter you may find in the correct way. Plastics in particular are a serious threat to e.g. turtles and dolphins.

Collection of souvenirs from reefs is prohibited in many areas under local and international laws. Resist the temptation to buy marine curio, in most cases the harvesting operations are unsustainable.

Diving & Snorkelling
Avoid walking on shallow reefs as corals and other fragile reef species can easily break, damaging the reef top.

Maintain perfect buoyancy control when diving so as to keep clear from the reef. Make sure that you are correctly weighted, aiding proper buoyancy. Avoid any equipment, such as octopus & consoles, dragging across the reef.

Never stand, sit, rest on or touch living reef species. Coral may have a hard skeleton, but the soft-tissue polyp may be injured and die from infections. If you need to steady yourself, use your fingertips on bare rock.

Avoid kicking up sand, it may settle on corals and other reef animals and suffocate them.

Avoid feeding fish. This disrupts natural behaviour and can upset the ecological balance of species on reefs

Using Boats
Always use mooring buoys, jetties or pontoons if available. Never anchor or ground boats on corals. They are easily broken or damaged by the boats, anchors and their chains.

Take great care when mooring. Find a sand or rubble patch and drop the anchor carefully. Make sure the anchor is not dragging on to the reef.

Recreational Fishing
Check where and when fishing is allowed. Fishing is prohibited on some reefs or restricted to certain seasons.

Check what gear is permitted. In many countries spearfishing is prohibited and other restrictions may apply, such as the number of hooks on each line.

Where fishing is permitted, never take more than you need and always comply with regulations covering bag limits and size. It is good practise to return your catch to the sea alive - especially juveniles.