Scuba Diving in California\'s Oceans

Scuba Diving in California's Oceans

Scuba diving is a recreational activity that is rapidly gaining popularity, as equipment has become more professional, easier to work with, and widely available to the public. People may choose to scuba dive for a number of different reasons. Some do so on a professional level, to investigated oceanographic matters, to investigate elements such as shipwrecks, or merely for recreational purposes, such as observing fish and plant species under water. Because an increasing number of people are scuba diving, the danger to the underwater environment is increasing. Some scuba divers may for example cause unintentional harm to the environment. Currently, environmentalism is gaining importance in the public mind. In society, we are much more aware of preserving our resources for future generations. Similarly, if future generations are to benefit from their scuba diving activities, it is vital that oceanic resources be protected today. This applies especially to popular locations of ocean resources such as California.

According to Todd, Cooper and Graefe (2000), scuba divers themselves are becoming increasingly aware of the environment and the importance of protecting it. This is especially the case as scuba divers become more experienced in their craft. The reason cited for this is that, as scuba divers increase their experience, they become more aware of the delicate balance within the environment in which they practice their craft. This brings about a respect for the environment and the need to protect it.

One strategy that can be used for the protection of future resources is then to target younger, learning scuba divers via the more experienced people. The less experienced can then learn about the need to respect oceanic resources, as well as specific strategies that can be used to minimize or eliminate damage to the environment via scuba diving.

Specifically, inexperienced scuba divers are often unaware of the damage they cause to their environment, because this damage is not immediately visible. According to Todd, Cooper and Graefe, for example, the problem is often one of unawareness rather than willful or careless actions. Less skilled divers are for example unable to control buoyancy under the surface. The silt stirred up in this way kills many micro-organisms in the ocean, which upsets the ecological balance in the specific location. More experience with scuba diving, or simply an awareness of the problem, can mitigate the effect of this.

Additionally, the problem relating to California, and to other ocean-side areas, is that oceanic pollution is not only caused by scuba divers. Indeed, plastic products in water and the chemicals released into the water from these is one of the major causes of environmental problems around Californian coast lines. Chemicals from these plastics cause millions of fish deaths, and have also been responsible for eliminating many plant and fish species in the area (Environment California, 2006). Scuba divers can be made further aware of the need to protect the environment by becoming part of cleanup efforts where spillages or pollution occur. The main issue is to make scuba divers themselves aware of how important it is to preserve the ocean so that future generations can gain the same pleasure from the craft that current generations do. Scuba divers themselves are a very important target for practices that can ensure future sustainability for California's ocean resources.

The problem is however that, like general pollution from for example plastic, many people, and even official in charge of oceanic protection often abuse their power by concealing from the public the truth about the state of pollution. By doing this, the public, including scuba divers, are not aware of the true extent of the problem, and can therefore not do anything to mitigate the problem.

Specifically, according to Environment California (2006), only 30 of the 167 fish populations in the coasts of California are healthy; the others being negatively affected by various forms of pollution. According to the article, this number has shown no improvement between 2001 and 2006, the latter being the year of writing. The blame for this phenomenon is placed at the door of governmental agencies that deliberately hide the true extent of the crisis from the public. These agencies also tend to hide the failures of their attempts to repair the damage to the environment.

In addition to the fishing industry, as well as other economic and environmental factors, scuba diving is also directly affected both by the crisis and the deception. Some divers exercise their hobby specifically for investigating the different species of fish in the oceans. Some do this for professional reasons, while others do so only for recreational purposes. When fish become ill and die, the pleasure derived from their presence, as well as their economic and environmental benefit. If people are made aware of the specific problems rather than being deceived about the extent of the crisis to make governmental agencies look good, targeted action can be taken for future conservation.

Scuba diving is an industry where sustainable development is vitally important not only for the scuba diving pleasure of future generations, but also for general society. The colorful world under the water of the Californian oceans is a rich cultural heritage. Millions of tourists derive pleasure from scuba diving activities in this location. Not preserving this for the future therefore has profound economic and environmental consequences.