The Observer Effect?

[NYCNaiad]

I've recently been struggling with how my diving may be negatively impacting the marine life. I'm hoping to have an intelligent discussion here about it because the majority of my friends are non-divers.

I thought I was a considerate diver & I've done a lot of cool dives, but more & more I'm wondering where I need to draw the line. For example: I had previously decided that I wouldn't...

• Dive with dolphins that weren't 100% free/wild.
• Touch marine life.
• Actively follow marine life trying to get away with me.
• Get too close to marine life and/or purposely cause them to react (e.g., puffing up pufferfish).

But how close is too close? Is too close defined as an animal moving away from me or the seconds before they do? What about animals that prefer to stay close to their fauna (e.g., a seahorse clutching to sea grass)?

What about visits to cleaning stations which until recently I thought weren't problematic if you took certain steps? (This Alert Diver article in particular rocked my world in regards to that.)

I know that just by diving I am impacting the marine life around me, but where should the line be drawn?

I'd love to hear your thoughts on what you've decided for yourself. (No judgment here. I'm just curious how other divers see this topic to hopefully help me make a more informed decision re: my own behavior.)

 

[RayfromTX]

I'm trying to ignore this issue but it isn't easy. Taking videos makes me even more aware. My memory makes me a more considerate diver than I really am. I really try but when I got that awesome shot of the Eagle Ray feeding and then swimming up right in front of me filling the screen, it came at the cost of disturbing it's feeding. I was trying to be so slow moving and non-invasive but in reality that would have meant staying back. Of course the next diver then swoops in, surprises the Ray and then chases after it so it's all relative at some point. I feel your pain.

 

[Bubblesong]

The coolest videos are the marine life interacting with each other. the saddest is when another Diver photobombs the video and skooches right into the frame while wielding their own camera.
What is the point of chasing wildlife? If anyone, human or critter, shows me their backside, I don't need Miss Manners to tell me I am not welcome!

 

[NYCNaiad]

I'm trying to ignore this issue but it isn't easy. Taking videos makes me even more aware. My memory makes me a more considerate diver than I really am. I really try but when I got that awesome shot of the Eagle Ray feeding and then swimming up right in front of me filling the screen, it came at the cost of disturbing it's feeding. I was trying to be so slow moving and non-invasive but in reality that would have meant staying back. Of course the next diver then swoops in, surprises the Ray and then chases after it so it's all relative at some point. I feel your pain.

It's funny you say that. This came into the forefront of my mind today when I saw a crazy cool video...that someone had made where the camera was 1 foot away from the animal.

 

[northernone]

As I eat plants, seaweed, animals and fish and am commenting on a electronic device changed with hydro electric energy I can't be overall concerned with my disturbance of wildlife.

My person guide is try to avoid disturbing the animals in any way significantly more than the other top predators..

Cameron

 

[The Chairman]

Interesting observations... I see the pendulum swinging way left now. I have heard my entire life "Don't touch corals! You'll kill them!" Then I started volunteering for Coral Restoration. We don't just 'touch' it. We pick it up, break it into little pieces, hang in on plastic trees and we disturb them every time we clean them. THESE CORALS THRIVE!

I'm not advocating that we all start to manhandle the coral, and in fact the opposite is true. However, I think we might be going a bit overboard. I pick up Queen conchs so divers can see the beautiful pink underside. Then I put them right back. So, there's definitely a balance. I'm not positive where that is, but I'm working on it.

 

[drrich2]

I'm a moderate; I mostly prefer to avoid touching, but I figure just finning over the reef we spoke some things, but then again large sea turtles, sharks & some other things do, too.

I spent much of my childhood in the country. That gave me a view of humans as part of the world, and limited interactions with wildlife as natural. I don't tend to see the natural world as some alien environment that I'm contaminating with my presence. Beyond that, animals have to be somewhat resilient to survive.

Reefs facing heavy dive pressure might be another story.

Richard.

 

[Scubamat]

The interesting thing to think about is in some areas of the world the dive industry has actually stop other far more disruptive industries like in parts of Indonesia where the locals police fishing to protect the diving Industry. Samething happens in parts of Africa with big Game hunting, while killing the occasional lion(normally a distruptive one too) might seem like a bad thing on the surface the significant amount of money made for the local community and extra funding available has resulted in significant reduction in illicit hunting and increased habitat protection.

 

[NYCNaiad]

As I eat plants, seaweed, animals and fish and am commenting on a electronic device changed with hydro electric energy I can't be overall concerned with my disturbance of wildlife. My person guide is try to avoid disturbing the animals in any way significantly more than the other top predators..

I'm a moderate; I mostly prefer to avoid touching, but I figure just finning over the reef we spoke some things, but then again large sea turtles, sharks & some other things do, too.

I spent much of my childhood in the country. That gave me a view of humans as part of the world, and limited interactions with wildlife as natural. I don't tend to see the natural world as some alien environment that I'm contaminating with my presence. Beyond that, animals have to be somewhat resilient to survive.

Reefs facing heavy dive pressure might be another story.

Thank you, both. Your points brought up a better way for me to think about this. I try to minimize my impact on land (e.g., I don't eat animals/fish, but I do need to survive so obviously eat other things which cause damage...& working in tech, I use a lot of electronics, but need to do so for my job). So a better way for me to think about this is how can I best minimize my impact underwater.

And Richard, I hadn't really thought about reefs with heavy dive pressure till your comment. I do tend to prefer far off-the-beaten-path dive spots, but do occasionally visit more well-traveled reefs. I think I have to add this to my list of things to avoid as well. Good to know.

 

[Schwob]

I'm a non toucher and non sunscreen slick producer and I try to avoid the rudel dives and dive with my buddy or very few people when possible. Or by myself when I have a chance. But even when not finning with the crowd, when arriving with a diveboat, I know I am part of the invasion. I try to behave well and do the right thing as far as I know it and hope it rubs off. But it does not of course.
There are those that wish to be respected guests, leaving as little of a trace as possible, those that just don't care (ignorance in principle is the same as just not caring), those that full well know better, but make exceptions because it's just this one time, ... and those that come to conquer. I try to be with the first group.
I am aware that it is an exercise in futility considering I arrive by airplane and boat, may be spoiled in a swimming palace or on shore...
So, it's a conflicting thing for me, but I do it and do try to enjoy it and try to do it as right as I can...