What a New Southeast Asia Study Means for Dive Operators by Alex Brylske, Ph.D.

In many regions, healthy reefs and thriving dive industries are deeply interconnected. Dive tourism can help justify marine protected areas, discourage destructive fishing practices, and build local constituencies for conservation. Dive professionals are often among the ocean’s strongest advocates, introducing guests to marine ecosystems in ways that inspire long-term environmental awareness and stewardship.

At the same time, most dive professionals have witnessed a reality that is hard to ignore: even well-intentioned divers sometimes damage reefs.

A newly published study in the peer-reviewed journal Conservation Letters, by Dr. Bing Lin, formerly of Princeton and now with the University of Sydney, and colleagues, examines how and why that happens. Conducted at heavily visited reef tourism destinations in Indonesia and the Philippines, the research examined diver behavior using underwater video observations, post-dive surveys, and advanced statistical analysis. The findings are detailed, nuanced, and highly relevant to operators working in coral reef environments.

Importantly, the study should not be interpreted as a broad condemnation of global scuba diving tourism. Diver behavior varies widely depending on local conditions, operator standards, training quality, environmental management, site type, and diver demographics. Cold-water diving operations, liveaboards, technical diving environments, wreck diving, freshwater training systems, and low-volume eco-tourism destinations may yield very different outcomes than heavily trafficked tropical reefs in Southeast Asia.

What the study does provide is a detailed snapshot of diver behavior at selected high-use coral reef destinations – and valuable insight into diver psychology and operational practices that may help reduce reef impacts in similar environments.

The research team observed and surveyed 732 divers across Indonesia and the Philippines. Using underwater video-assisted observation and sophisticated statistical analysis, the researchers documented diver movements, reef contacts, wildlife interactions, equipment use, and environmental conditions during more than 308 hours underwater.

The resulting dataset was unusually comprehensive. It pointed to many of the usual suspects from earlier diver-impact research, but it also identified a few new areas of concern. Researchers cataloged thousands of individual reef contacts, including:

• Fin strikes
• Camera impacts
• Gauge and hose drags
• Sediment disturbance
• Intentional stabilization touches
• Wildlife-related positioning behavior

One of the study’s most important conclusions was that most reef damage was neither malicious nor reckless. Instead, most damaging contacts were classified as accidental or unnoticed, which the researchers termed “unintentional and/or unnoticed damage (UUD)”. That distinction fundamentally changes the conversation.

Historically, reef-protection messaging has often focused on intentional misconduct: standing on coral, grabbing reef structures, harassing wildlife, or collecting souvenirs. Those behaviors remain problematic. But the study suggests that the larger issue may stem from routine, low-awareness contact during otherwise ordinary diving activity. These include divers maintaining position in the current, managing buoyancy near the substrate, concentrating on marine life, adjusting camera equipment, or simply maneuvering within crowded groups, all of which frequently result in contact without realizing it.

For instructors and dive guides, this will sound familiar. Small, often unintended reef strikes are common in busy reef systems, so many professionals may no longer notice them. Yet when repeated thousands of times at heavily visited sites, these small contacts can accumulate and create substantial ecological stress. The study documented more than 5,000 reef-contact events. Approximately 41 percent resulted in observable reef damage, including coral breakage or sediment deposition on living coral surfaces.

Perhaps the most revealing aspect of the study concerned diver self-perception. After their dives, participants completed surveys assessing their underwater abilities and environmental awareness. Most rated themselves highly. Roughly three-quarters believed they had above-average buoyancy control and reef-awareness skills. However, when researchers compared those self-assessments with underwater footage, a significant disconnect emerged. Many divers substantially underestimated how often they contacted the reef.

The finding does not necessarily imply arrogance or indifference. Underwater environments are dynamic and highly task-oriented. Divers are often focused on navigation, depth control, photography, wildlife observation, or buddy communication, remaining unaware of subtle fin or equipment contact occurring behind or beneath them. Still, the operational implications are important.

The study suggests that simply reminding divers “don’t touch the reef” may be insufficient, as many do not recognize when they make contact. For operators, this underscores the value of more practical, observational approaches to reef-awareness training. Demonstrating common contact scenarios during briefings, conducting buoyancy refreshers, or offering direct underwater correction may help divers recognize habits they might otherwise overlook.

Some operators already use post-dive debriefings or video feedback to help divers improve buoyancy and positioning. The study suggests that these interventions may be especially effective because they bridge the gap between perception and reality.

Wildlife Encounters and the “Tourism Paradox”

In my view, the study’s most operationally significant finding concerned marine wildlife encounters. Researchers found that reef-contact rates increased significantly when divers encountered marine animals. This dynamic is something many guides know instinctively. A manta ray passing overhead, a turtle resting beneath a ledge, or a rare macro subject appearing in the sand can instantly shift a diver’s attention away from buoyancy and spatial awareness. Excitement rises, divers move closer together, and camera users reposition quickly. Situational awareness narrows. The study calls this a “tourism paradox”: the wildlife that attracts visitors to reefs can indirectly contribute to behaviors that degrade the habitats those species depend on.

Importantly, the research does not suggest that wildlife tourism itself is inherently harmful. Marine wildlife encounters remain among the strongest drivers of marine conservation awareness and sustainable tourism revenue worldwide. Rather, the findings reinforce the importance of actively managing those interactions.

Operators working at shark sites, manta cleaning stations, turtle habitats, or macro-photography destinations may benefit from more structured wildlife protocols. Pre-dive briefings tailored to animal encounters, careful guide positioning, controlled group spacing, and stricter management of approach distances may help reduce environmentally harmful behavior during moments of heightened underwater excitement. In many ways, the study validates management practices already used successfully by some experienced operators and marine parks.

Another finding is likely to resonate with dive professionals concerned about underwater photography. Divers carrying cameras – especially larger systems – showed higher rates of reef contact. Again, the reasons are understandable. Underwater photography significantly increases task load. Divers managing camera settings, framing compositions, monitoring strobe position, and tracking moving subjects often devote less attention to buoyancy and trim. Large camera rigs can also alter body positioning and underwater balance.

For many operators, this poses a practical challenge. Photography has become central to modern dive tourism. Underwater imagery drives destination marketing, social media engagement, marine education, and conservation storytelling. Many divers now travel specifically for photography. The study does not advocate eliminating underwater photography. Instead, it recommends managing photography-related risks more intentionally in sensitive reef environments, such as Thailand’s new law prohibiting camera use by inexperienced divers.

Some operators already address this by requiring buoyancy experience before allowing cameras on certain dives, creating separate photo groups, limiting camera use in delicate macro habitats, or assigning additional guides to photographer-heavy groups. Research supports these adaptive operational approaches.

The study also revealed one of the more subtle but important findings, involving social behavior. The researchers found that divers were more likely to contact the reef when nearby divers were also making contact. This highlights the powerful role of underwater culture and the need for role-model behavior among dive professionals.

Divers constantly take behavioral cues from those around them, especially from guides, instructors, and experienced divers. Underwater, people quickly form assumptions about what is considered normal or acceptable behavior. If guides maintain excellent buoyancy, respectful distances from wildlife, and careful reef positioning, divers are more likely to emulate those standards. Conversely, casual or inconsistent behavior from leaders may unintentionally normalize poor environmental practices. For operators, this underscores the importance of staff leadership not only as a safety issue but also as an environmental management tool. This suggests that reef-safe culture is contagious, both positively and negatively.

Environmental Standards and Operator Practices

The study also examined operators participating in Green Fins, one of the dive industry’s best-known environmental certification programs. Unsurprisingly, researchers found that operators with stronger environmental standards were associated with guests with lower documented reef-contact rates, particularly in programs with more rigorous implementation. But the nuance is important. The findings suggest that environmental certifications are most effective when integrated into daily operations rather than functioning primarily as marketing labels. Operators that consistently reinforce environmental briefings, actively supervise diver behavior, invest in staff training, and maintain appropriate guide-to-diver ratios appear better positioned to reduce reef impacts. Many professionals already recognize this intuitively. Reef protection rarely results from a single briefing or policy. It emerges from operational culture, staff consistency, and ongoing reinforcement.

The Take-Home Message

It’s important to recognize this study not as an indictment but as an opportunity. Ultimately, this study should not be viewed as an attack on scuba diving tourism. In many regions, dive tourism remains a strong economic argument for protecting coral reefs from destructive and extractive industries. As the study’s lead author, Dr. Liu, has commented on the reaction to his work, “It’s really important to emphasize that this is not an anti-diving study. Divers are often among the strongest advocates for coral reef conservation because they experience these ecosystems directly and form strong emotional connections to them. The key message is that even well-intentioned, low-impact activities can still produce unintended environmental effects. In our study, most reef contact was unintentional or unnoticed, which matters because you can’t address impacts you’re not aware of. The goal is not to discourage diving, but to support better diving.”

Instead, the research highlights the growing importance of careful environmental management in heavily visited reef systems. For dive operators and professionals, the findings offer an opportunity to refine practices that are already moving in this direction such as:

• Stronger buoyancy training
• Better diver awareness
• More intentional wildlife management
• Thoughtful photography protocols
• Active in-water supervision
• Clear environmental leadership

The dive industry has long played an essential role in marine conservation. As reefs face mounting global pressure, that role may become even more important. Protecting coral ecosystems will require not only passion for the underwater world but also continued attention to how divers interact with the environments they come to experience, photograph, and ultimately help protect. Source: Lin, B. et al. (2026).  Causes and correlates of unsustainable scuba diving tourism on coral reefs.