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Diving
And Safety Rules
Ten Ways a Diver Can Protect
the Aquatic Realm - Produced by PADI for Project
A.W.A.R.E.
 1-Dive
carefully in fragile aquatic ecosystems, such as coral
reefs. Although, at first, they may look
like rocks or plants, many aquatic organisms are fragile
creatures that can be killed by the bump of a tank,
knee or camera, a swipe of a fin or even the touch
of a hand. It is also important to know that some
aquatic organisms, such as corals, are extremely slow-growing.
By breaking off even a small piece, you may be destroying
decades of growth. By being careful, you can prevent
devastating and long-lasting damage to magnificent
dive sites.
2-Be aware of your body and equipment when
diving.
Much damage to the environment is done unknowingly.
Keep your gauges and alternate air sources secured
so that they don’t drag over the reef or bottom.
By controlling your buoyancy and taking care not to
touch coral or other fragile environments with your
body, diving equipment of camera, you will have done
your part in preventing injury to aquatic life.
 3-Keep
your diving skills sharp with continuing education.
If you haven’t dived in a while, your skills
(particularly buoyancy control) may need sharpening.
Before heading to the reefs, seek bottom time with
a dive master or instructor in a pool or other environment
that won’t be damaged by a few bumps and scrapes.
Better yet, take a diving continuing education course
such as PADI Scuba Review, the PADI Advanced Open
Water Diver course or a PADI Specialty Diver course.
4-Consider your impact on aquatic life through
your interactions.
As every diver soon learns, very few forms of aquatic
life pose a threat to us. In fact, some creatures
even seem friendly and curious about our presence.
As we become bolder and more curious ourselves, we
may even feel compelled to touch, handle, feed and
even hitch rides on certain aquatic life. However,
our actions may cause stress to the animals, interrupt
feeding and mating behavior, introduce food items
that are not healthy for the species or even provoke
aggressive behavior in normally no aggressive species.
5-Understand and respect underwater life.
Through adaptation to an aquatic environment, underwater
life often differs greatly in appearance from life
we are used to seeing on land. Many creatures only
appear to look like plants or inanimate objects. Using
them as “toys” or food for other animals
can leave a trail of destruction that can disrupt
a local ecosystem and rob other divers of the pleasure
of observing or photographing these creatures. Consider
enrolling in a PADI Underwater Naturalist course.
6-Resist the urge to collect souvenirs.
Dive sites that are heavily visited can be depleted
of their resources in a short time. Collecting specimens,
coral and shells in these areas can strip their fascination
and beauty. If you want to return from your dives
with trophies to show friends and family, you may
want to consider underwater photography.
7-If you hunt and/or gather game, obey all
fish game laws.
You may be among the group of divers who get pleasure
from taking food from the aquatic realm. If you engage
in this activity, it is vital that you obtain proper
licensing and become familiar with all local fish
and game rules. Local laws are designed to ensure
the reproduction and survival of these animals. Only
take creatures that you will consume. Never kill anything
for the sake of killing. Respect the rights of other
divers who are not hunting. Avoid spear fishing in
areas that other divers are using for sightseeing
and underwater photography. As an underwater hunter,
understand your effect on the environment.
 8-Report
environmental disturbances or destruction of your
dive sites.
As a diver, you are in a unique position to monitor
the health of local waterways, lakes and coastal areas.
If you observe an unusual depletion of aquatic life,
a rash of injuries to aquatic animals, or notice strange
substances or objects in the water, report them to
local authorities, such as the local office of the
Environmental Protection Agency or similar organization
in your country.
9-Be a role model for other divers in diving
and non-diving interaction with the environment.
As a diver, you realize that when someone tosses a
plastic wrapper or other debris overboard, it is not
out of sight, out of mind. You see the result of such
neglect. Set a good example in your own interactions
with the environment, and other divers and no divers
will follow suit.
10-Get involved in local environmental activities
and issues.
You may feel you can’t save the world, but you
can have a great impact on the corner of the planet
in which you live and dive. There are plenty of opportunities
to show your support of a clean aquatic environment,
including local beach clean-ups and attending public
hearings on matters that impact local coastal areas
and water resources. Know all sides of the aquatic
environmental legislative issues and make your opinions
known at the ballot box.
Ras Mohamed National Park Regulations
are as follows:-
Do not collect, remove
or damage any material, living or dead, from the Park
(corals, shells, fish, plants, fossils, etc.).
Littering is prohibited,
please place litter, garbage and waste in the litter
bins and other containers provided, or take it away
with you.
Closed areas are used
for studying ecosystems (habitats), monitoring the
environment and to protect examples of natural habitat
in their pristine condition. They are also genetic
reserves. Access to them is, therefore, prohibited.
Avoid walking or standing
on any reef or other marine substrate on coral areas
since this breaks and damages corals, which are critical
to our natural resources. Please use the designated
access points for snorkeling, diving, and moorings.
Feeding fish and animals
upsets the biological balance and is therefore prohibited.
Fishing in any form including
spear fishing, is not allowed in any Protected Area
(except if a special license is issued by the Park
Authority).
Visitors are required
to leave the National Park by sunset, unless staying
in the designated camping area at the marine laboratory
or attending officially organized events at the visitors'
center.
It is prohibited to cause
any form of pollution by discharging or throwing away
any substance (including liquids and solids) that
are harmful to the environment.
Please take care to avoid
any pollution of the environment by discharge or escape
of substances such as oil or sewerage.
Please take note of any
instructions posted in the Park or provided at the
gate.
Offenders are subject to prosecution
according to the terms of Law 102 of 1983, and all
other relevant laws.
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