Dive Sites Research Articles

Releasing a dataset of 3D models of artificial reefs from the northern red-sea for 3D printing and virtual reality applications

Artificial reefs are anthropogenic structures that are submerged in purpose to mimic some of the attributes of natural reefs. Here we describe our workflow for 3D mapping of artificial reefs, particularly shipwrecks, and release a dataset containing two 3D models of some of the most epic dive sites in Israel. Our goal is to share our 3D models and protocol with the general public and to enable the scientific and recreational community to document artificial reefs in 3D and use the models in 3D visualization and printing applications. We envision that the models will be used by divers and 3D printing enthusiasts, dive operators, Non-Governmental Organizations, and government agencies dealing with underwater monitoring and marine spatial planning.

SCUBA diver behavior, diver carrying capacity and its implications for sustainable reef management

Coral reefs are vulnerable to natural and anthropogenic impacts, especially tourism activities such as SCUBA diving and snorkeling. This study aims to assess diver carrying capacity and the impacts caused by SCUBA divers related to certification level and lionfish spear, through an underwater monitoring of 180 divers in Roatan, Honduras. Results reveal substantial variation in carrying capacity among dive sites, with a notable disparity of over 13,000 divers/year between sites with the lowest and highest capacities. Divers’ behavior has significant implications for reef physical integrity. This study highlights the need to reassess the effectiveness of lionfish spearfishing as a control for invasive species and emphasizes the importance of comprehensive workshops and courses to enhance divers' awareness of potential ecological impacts. These findings contribute to understanding the ecological implications of recreational diving, calling for sustainable management practices and targeted educational efforts. Furthermore, the study underscores the significance of estimating and managing carrying capacity for long-term marine ecosystem sustainability. Incorporating SCUBA diving carrying capacity as a crucial tool for adaptative management enables monitoring and regulation of diver numbers in relation to reef status and tourism pressure.

UNDERSTANDING THE DIVE GUIDES ROLES IN MALAYSIA: A MALAYSIAN SCUBA DIVER PERSPECTIVE

Abstract: Scuba diving is a growingly popular recreational activity throughout the globe, providing tourists with a more dynamic experience during their holiday. While there is an increasing interest in scuba diving and tourism, which encompass a wide range of topics, there is limited knowledge about the expectations regarding the role of scuba dive guides from the perspective of scuba divers. Thus, this paper aims to explore the expected roles that should be played by scuba dive guides from the perspective of scuba divers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 Malaysian scuba divers. Following thematic analysis, seven roles have been identified: Dive Site Experts, Navigators, Spotters, Underwater Conservationists, Product Informants, Diver Experience Mediators, and Diving Ambassadors. The findings are expected to have substantial implications for researchers, diving business operators, and tourism marketers. Keywords: Scuba Dive Guides; Dive Guides Roles; Tour Guides: Scuba Dive Operator; Malaysia Scuba Diving

A Critical Approach to Existing Management Perspectives in Scuba Diving: A Step in Defining Ecological Carrying Capacity

There are a considerable number of studies reporting the negative impacts of recreational diving and their causes, yet there is a gap in the information regarding the aspects of activity management. This paper presents a systematic approach to the management measures found in the literature. A large part of the measures identified address stakeholders’ awareness, data on the activity, and implementing adapted management measures. Stakeholders need to be integrated into the entire process of managing the activity because they are the target for correcting actions. A knowledge gap of the evaluation of the “ecological carrying capacity” of dive sites exists, along with a lack of methods for its assessment. This study informs future steps on the development of an integrated management and monitoring model that encompasses the assessment of ecological carrying capacity in further research. It also brings a vision of sustainable management of the recreational diving activity by advancing the conceptual framework of scuba diving and tourism integrated management.

Exploring the Role of Determinants Affecting Responsible Underwater Behaviour of Marine-Based Tourists.

This study utilised divers' demographic characteristics, diving experience, and attitudes to analyse the association between these factors and divers' responsible underwater behaviour among Chinese scuba divers in Hong Kong. More innovatively, the measurement construct of diving attitude was further employed as a mediator to investigate its influence on the relationship between divers' diving experience and responsible underwater behaviours based on the conceptual framework of previous works in the literature. The questionnaire data for this study were collected at four of the most popular dive sites among the marine protected areas in Hong Kong, with 398 valid samples after eliminating incomplete questionnaires. Regression results demonstrated that divers' demographic characteristics could significantly predict their responsible underwater behaviour, with age (b = 0.10, p < 0.05) and education (b = 0.15, p < 0.05) being found to be positively associated with their diving behaviour. In addition, path analysis demonstrated that divers' diving experience and attitude could explain 13.6% and 22.6% of the variance in predicting their responsible diving behaviour, respectively. However, no mediation effect was found on the relationship between diving experience and responsible underwater behaviour relative to diving attitude, given the absence of statistical effects regarding the positive impact of divers' diving experience on their attitude (β = 0.024, se = 0.022, t = 1.085, p = 0.279). Based on the research findings, theoretical and practical implications were discussed correspondingly, which are believed to be beneficial in promoting marine conservation and the sustainable development of marine-based nature tourism in Hong Kong.

Artificial Reef Deployment Reduces Diving Pressure from Natural Reefs—The Case of Introductory Dives in Eilat, Red Sea

Artificial reefs have been suggested as alternative dive sites to mitigate human pressure on natural reefs. Despite the conceptual appeal of artificial reefs, there is a paucity of empirical evidence regarding their effectiveness in achieving this objective. Here, we report that a small artificial reef deployed adjacent to a local coral marine protected area caused a shift in the routes taken by introductory dives and nearly eliminated their visitations to the natural fringing reef within the MPA. This behavioral shift among divers persisted for more than a decade following the AR deployment. These findings underscore the efficacy of well-designed and appropriately located artificial reefs as valuable instruments in the conservation of coral reefs.

Showcasing The Uniqueness Of A Marine Destination By Adopting Local Wisdom

Development based on local wisdom and indigenous practices can be particularly effective since local wisdom is often the only asset the local people control, and certainly one with which they are very familiar. Yet, literature on marine tourism development shows a scarcity of studies that draw from local wisdom, even though local community participation is underlined as one of the most important factors in successful marine tourism development. This paper explores the role of adopting local wisdom and indigenous practices in marine tourism development in showcasing the uniqueness of marine tourism destinations, with the case study of Misool, Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Misool is one of the islands in Raja Ampat which attracts marine tourists from around the world due to its abundance marine life. Using a conversational method for data collection, this paper analyzes how the integration of local wisdom and indigenous practices in tourism takes place and how tourists appreciate them. Findings from conversations with local people who worked as tour guides and dive guides show that the guests expressed appreciation when being asked to follow specific things according to their local wisdom and indigenous practices when visiting some of the tourist attractions or dive sites. Some of their guests stated that Misool is unique because of these practices. These findings reveal that adopting local wisdom and indigenous practices in a marine tourism destination emphasizes the uniqueness of the place. Moreover, the unique culture of the local community can also be an added value to the total tourism experience.

Making a place special—The development of Restorative Marine Ecotourism at a dive destination village

Marine ecotourism is a multifaceted social-ecological activity that seeks to balance economic benefits with support for sustainability and positive ecosystem impacts. Successful marine ecotourism relies upon ecosystem health and has the potential to restore or regenerate nature. Restoration efforts of marine habitats aim to foster social and ecological resilience, requiring novel management strategies. To date examples of successful restorative tourism are rare in marine habitats. It is early days, emphasizing the importance of exploring opportunities for the development of restorative practices. To help frame opportunities for the development of Restorative Marine Ecotourism (RME), this study explores the relationship between ecological restoration initiatives and marine ecotourism in the New Zealand village of Tutukaka. This qualitative study assessed stakeholders' perspectives of opportunities and challenges to develop local RME initiatives in Tutukaka, where development has been strongly influenced by the possibility to access a nearby offshore marine reserve and internationally famous dive site. Data were obtained from semi-structured interviews with marine ecotourism businesses, ecological restoration actors, and governance authorities, and analyzed through thematic analysis. The interviews identified a set of core social-ecological relationships around which strategies to guide the development of RME coalesce: ongoing coastal and marine environmental issues and the discussion around how best to address them; opportunities to develop local restoration initiatives; economic and ecological challenges to realizing those opportunities; and the costs, benefits and opportunities of RME. Interview respondents emphasized the importance of diverse approaches to address the challenges around RME development, including collaboration among stakeholders, the willingness to experiment widely around experiential learning and take risks, and importantly adopting strategies to make places “special.” This study offers insights that can inform the planning and implementation of RME initiatives at a local scale to support the achievement of both ecological restoration goals and sustainable tourism practices. These include trusted relationships among stakeholders, fostering bottom-up processes, and the value of producing social-ecological knowledge. The Tutukaka case highlights possible avenues for restoration to effectively contribute to marine ecotourism. The focus on the “specialness of place” highlights the importance of place-based knowledge and preservation that facilitates trust, entrepreneurialism, environmental ethics, and supportive management.

Apparent coordinated and communal hunting behaviours by Erabu sea krait Laticauda semifactiata

Opportunistic observations of Erabu sea kraits (Laticauda semifaciata) provide evidence that this species undertake a novel foraging tactic; coordinated communal hunting. Erabu sea kraits prey on cryptic fish species in highly complex reef habitats. Intra- and interspecific cooperative hunting strategies may increase chances for all members of the hunting party to encounter and capture prey in these complex habitats. Here, we observed 52 instances of communal hunting by Erabu sea kraits with conspecifics and other predatory fishes at recreational dive sites in Southern Lombok, Indonesia. These observations highlight the potential higher cognitive capacity of sea kraits to coordinate activities around communal hunting events.

Analysis of the beautiful value of marine tourism attractive objects in the coral reef rehabilitation area of Badi Island, Pangkep Regency

The marine tourist attraction has been one of the most important concerns for tourism. The diversity of biota in this coral reef ecosystem has the potential for the development of marine ecotourism. The aim of the research was to reveal the potential of coral the rehabilitation areas in the Badi, Pangkajene and Archipelago for a good tourist destination, especially as a dive site and restoration of coral reef ecosystems, based on the categories of tourism object value and attraction. This research was carried out in March-December 2022 with several stages, including preparation, initial survey, and field data collection. This study includes the suitability matrix for diving activities, and the Scenic Beauty Estimate (SBE) used to determine the quality and the beauty of coral reefs. The results showed that Station 2 and Station 3 were in the very suitable category, while Station 1 and Station 4 were included in the appropriate category because at 6 parameters the appropriate value parameters were calculated for diving tourism. The results of the SBE calculation show that the image with the highest value is Number 4 which is in the transplant location 2 and number 1 is in the transplant location 1 with an SBE value of 97 and 93, respectively. Meanwhile, figure Number 2 is in the natural location 1 and image Number 9 is in the Natural 2 location with SBE values of 0 and 8, respectively. In conclusion, most people are interested in the healing world, and the coral reef rehabilitation object has various types and is rich in coral reefs.

Shark Diving Tourism Experiences: Perspectives from Professionals and Tourists to Improve Management

Shark diving tourism is an industry potentially contributing to shark conservation while supporting economies worldwide. Managing experiences in shark diving tourism is essential to guarantee the sustainability of this industry and the safety of people and sharks. In this context, investigations of what constitutes positive and negative shark diving experiences are necessary to steer management. This qualitative study assessed the perspectives of tourists and professionals (N = 55) concerning positive and negative experiences characterizing shark diving tourism. The study focused on Southern Africa, including four shark diving locations in South Africa and Mozambique. The thematic analysis of participants’ responses to a semi‐structured interview revealed that positive experiences in shark diving tourism include responsible dive operations, edifying experiences, and quality dive sites, while negative experiences include declining natural features and careless behavior from stakeholders. Taking into account the limitations of this study, the results highlight the importance of ethically sound operational management in shark diving, as well as education, to steer the growth of shark diving tourism as a sustainable industry. Additionally, the results offer guidelines for ensuring positive experiences in shark diving tourism that can support shark conservation while counteracting negative public opinions of sharks.

Valuation and mapping of the recreational diving ecosystem service of the Aegean Sea

Cultural ecosystem services (CES) provide a range of aesthetic and recreational benefits. However, they have not been extensively assessed due to methodological challenges, despite their use and non-use values for local and wider communities. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the economic importance and spatial distribution of recreational diving, a major non-extractive use of marine biodiversity, in the Aegean Sea. A comprehensive evaluation of diving value was conducted based on ecological features and divers' preferences and habits. The value of recreational diving as an ecosystem service in the Aegean Sea was estimated at €154.3 million annually, with €4.3 million (95 % CI, €1.4–8.4 million) as the willingness to pay (WTP) for biodiversity conservation, €135 million (95 % CI, €99-174 million) for divers' expenditures, and €15 million (95 % CI, €11-20 million) for diving centers' revenues. These values were determined through questionnaires distributed to divers and clubs to estimate the diving industry’s value. The value distribution across the Aegean was determined by divers' criteria for selecting dive sites, such as habitats, species-attractions, and distance to dive centers. The highest local value was €1.1 million km−2 yr−1 annually, and the lowest was €127 km−2 yr−1. Recreational diving is a crucial blue growth activity for the Aegean coastal communities and should be integrated into conservation strategies and marine spatial planning.

First record of the bull shark Carcharhinus leucas (Valenciennes, 1839) from the Maldivian archipelago, central Indian Ocean.

Verified records of the bull shark Carcharhinus leucas are lacking in the Maldives. This study provides the first confirmed evidence of 23 sightings observed from 2013 to 2023 in the central and southern atolls of this archipelago. Most of the sightings occurred in close proximity to inhabited areas, where food waste is often discarded into the water, or in several dive sites, suggesting the presence of this species in different locations around central and southern atolls. Although further research is required to fully investigate the C. leucas population in the Maldives, this report documents and confirms its presence in this region.

Scuba divers, coral reefs, and knowledge of ocean acidification

Ocean acidification (OA) poses a threat to coral reefs by increasing the fragility of susceptible corals to physical damage. As such, the impacts of dive tourism are likely to be exacerbated under acidified conditions. While evidence exists on the impacts of OA, research is scant on scuba divers’ knowledge of OA. The present study explored scuba divers (N = 75) awareness of threats to coral reefs, and factors which are important to the dive experience via an online survey. Responses revealed participants were least aware of OA than other threats to coral reefs. Almost half the participants had a basic understanding of OA, but a high level of concern about its impacts, highlighting an education opportunity for these already ‘concerned’ divers. Factors important to their dive experience included sites being located in a marine protected area / managed for conservation, and high diversity of coral with good quality and minimal disturbance. The findings indicated there are economic opportunities associated with good environmental management at coral reef dive sites, including through preferential site selection and willingness to pay a conservation levy. Recommendations for OA education and awareness initiatives and other regulatory and non-regulatory management strategies are discussed.

Make a difference: Choose artificial reefs over natural reefs to compensate for the environmental impacts of dive tourism

In the marine environment, natural reef habitats are amongst the most threatened by human activities. Although reef-based ecotourism can benefit local economies, dive tourism can damage sensitive habitats. One solution to managing conflicts between the economic value of diving and its ecological threats is the deployment of artificial reefs near popular dive sites. We surveyed recreational divers to assess divers' use, preference, and perceptions of diving artificial versus natural sites. We found that more divers prefer to dive in natural than artificial habitats, with associated biodiversity the most popular reason for preferring natural habitats, and appreciating shipwrecks the most popular reason for preferring artificial ones. Despite our sample population being highly educated and experienced, predominantly European divers, only 49 % of them perceived artificial reefs as important or somewhat important for diverting pressure from sensitive natural habitats. Similarly, only 13 % of respondents exhibited preference to avoid coral reefs to protect them. These results highlight the fact that more needs to be done to educate divers about the potential importance of artificial habitats in diverting divers from natural reefs. We suggest encouraging divers to switch out a proportion of their dives in vulnerable natural sites for artificial reefs. This is not only true for coral reefs, but should be applied to other natural reef habitats that are popular with divers such as kelp forests, sponge gardens and serpulid and coralligenous reefs. We hope that this study will provide a platform to stimulate a diver-led discussion and campaign for increased uptake of artificial reef use, resulting in reduced impacts on natural reefs.

An initial ecological characterization of mesopelagic fauna at Johnston Atoll and Musicians Seamounts

The mesopelagic region (200–1000 m) hosts a wide variety of organisms in a concentrated layer known as the deep scattering layer (DSL). Much of the mesopelagic region in the central North Pacific remains unexplored, limiting ecosystem considerations in fisheries management and other applications. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Ocean Exploration and Research used NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer to conduct two expeditions in the region, one to Johnston Atoll and the other to Musicians Seamounts. During these expeditions, a remotely operated vehicle collected video and CTD environmental data while the ship collected active acoustics. This project analyzed the video, CTD, and acoustic data to create an ecological characterization of the mesopelagic at Johnston Atoll and Musicians Seamounts. The initial characterization included a full inventory of mesopelagic fauna imaged, the relationship between the abundance of categorical groups (gelatinous, Chaetognatha, Crustacea, and fish) and the environmental variables of salinity, oxygen, and temperature, a comparison between the abundance of mesopelagic fauna below, within, and above the DSL, and a qualitative analysis of the spatial distribution of categorical groups. There was a significant negative relationship between the abundance of the gelatinous organisms and salinity and oxygen concentrations. Overall, there were more sightings per minute of all organisms combined below and within the DSL than above the DSL at Musicians Seamounts, while there was no difference in sightings per minute between the below, within, and above DSL groups at Johnston Atoll. Proportionally, there were more gelatinous organisms than any other single category (fish, Chaetognatha, and Crustacea) at all dive sites in the study. These initial characterizations strive to develop biodiversity concepts and the relationships between the environment and fauna. Progress in these areas can aid the management of marine national monuments and serve as a baseline for future ROV dives.

X-ray Computed Tomography Analysis of Ferromanganese Nodule Nuclei from the Western North Pacific Ocean: Insights into Their Origins

Ferromanganese nodule nuclei are considered crucial to the formation and distribution of nodules. However, because it is difficult and time-consuming to study ferromanganese nodule nuclei, few studies have been performed, despite the large number of samples. Here, we analyzed the nuclei of 934 ferromanganese nodules from the abyssal seafloor around Minamitorishima Island (western North Pacific Ocean) using X-ray computed tomography (CT). Based on the CT number distribution (describing X-ray absorption in Hounsfield units, HU), we classified the nuclei as Type I (&gt;1800 HU) or Type II (&lt;1800 HU). Additionally, some Type I nuclei had characteristic conical shapes (Type I-C) distinct from the shapes of other nuclei (Type I-O). Based on the chemical compositions determined by microfocus X-ray fluorescence analyses of selected samples, we identified Type I-C, I-O, and II nuclei as fish teeth, hard rocks (volcanic rock, ironstone, or phosphorite), and sediments, respectively. These nucleus types were observed in sufficient quantities at all dive sites that we conclude them to be typical of nodule nuclei in the study area. Fish-tooth nuclei were the rarest at all sites, whereas sediment nuclei dominated at most sites, suggesting their significance for understanding the origin of ferromanganese nodules. Hard-rock nuclei dominated at only three sites and probably originated from seamounts.

The Condition of Coral Reef Ecosystem for the Suitability of Dive Tourism Utilization in Karimunjawa Island, Karimunjawa National Park, Jepara

The Condition of Coral Reef Ecosystem for the Suitability of Dive Tourism Utilization in Karimunjawa Island, Karimunjawa National Park, Jepara

Preliminary observations on the coral reef communities in Angria Bank, an isolated carbonate bank in the Northern Indian Ocean

Submerged carbonate banks are of significant geological and biological importance and relatively little is known about the biodiversity of these deeper and less accessible habitats. This study provides pilot information on the biodiversity and spatial distribution of the coral reef communities in Angria Bank, a submerged carbonate platform along the central west coast of India. An exploratory survey was carried out in January 2014 to document the habitat characteristics and biodiversity of different reef communities across a gradient from the western to the eastern edge of the Angria Bank. The western zone of the bank comprises rocky and coralline substrates in contrast to the eastern zone which is sandy with calcareous deposits. The overall biodiversity includes 16 genera of corals from 10 families and 82 species of reef fish from 26 families, comparatively lower than the other major reef formations in the Indian Ocean. The study sites between the depths of 25–29 m along the eastern edge of the bank host abundant and diverse coral communities. The macroalgae was equally abundant in three of the five dive sites along the east zone reflecting the homogeneous distribution of reef communities in the Angria bank. Other invertebrates including members of the phylum Porifera, Mollusca, Annelida, Arthropoda, Echinodermata, and Cnidaria account for 28 species. Angria Bank signifies a biodiversity hotspot and these remote habitats hold the potential to serve as a refugium for the shallow reef communities for a range of environmental disturbances. Further research to understand the effect of climate-associated stress on the reef communities of Angria bank is vital to evolve a conservation strategy to sustain the biodiversity and resilience of these communities.

AN EXPLORATORY STUDY ON PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES OF SCUBA DIVE GUIDES IN MALAYSIA

Scuba diving is one of the fastest growing and most popular tourism activities, generating approximately a billion dollars for global diving destinations. Scuba diving tourists are willing to travel worldwide to experience diving activities at island destinations offering underwater attractions. Besides highlighting the uniqueness of dive sites, the performance of dive guides can influence a scuba diving tourists’ satisfaction. This exploratory study examines the influence of the dive guides’ professional competencies on satisfaction of the tourists with availing tour packages by assessing the dive guides’ service quality. This study reports the findings obtained from the responses of 345 dive tourists who have availed of diving packages in Malaysia. This study validates that professional competency among dive guides positively affects service quality and a tourists’ satisfaction. Among the findings is the importance of scuba diving operators in providing continuous practical implications to dive guides in order to help them identify their niche market of scuba diving tourists.