It's an unfortunate fact that many of the most beautiful dive sites in the world have been severely damaged by the large number of divers who visit those locations. Most of the damage is unintentional, but also avoidable. As a diver, you must do your part to protect the environment so others can enjoy it in the future.

Dive sites are easily damaged as a result of poor buoyancy control, abuse of marine life, irresponsible hunting and collecting, and pollution. The pages that follow describe how these actions harm a dive site, as well as steps you can take to prevent this damage from occurring.