Recreational SCUBA diver interactions with the critically endangered Grey Nurse Shark Carcharias taurus

2010 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean M. Barker ◽  
Victor M. Peddemors ◽  
Jane E. Williamson
Keyword(s):  
East Coast ◽  
Scuba Diving ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Scuba Diver ◽  
Nurse Shark ◽  
Critical Habitat ◽  
Scuba Divers ◽  
Recreational Scuba ◽  
Large Groups ◽  
Carcharias Taurus

Grey Nurse Sharks Carcharias taurus are listed as ?Critically Endangered? along the east coast of Australia. Magic Point (off Maroubra) in Sydney is favoured by recreational SCUBA divers wishing to observe these sharks. This study was conducted to answer the question: do current recreational SCUBA diving practices at Magic Point have a significant impact on the aggregation behaviour of C. taurus? The study found that diver activity does temporarily affect the behaviour of C. taurus at this site, with a significant difference in the number of sharks and their distribution within the preferred area of occupation inside the cave between diver and non-diver treatments. Small dive groups (= 4 divers) approached the cave closer than large groups, resulting in a greater impact on sharks than large groups positioned further back from the cave. Shark behaviour rapidly returned to pre-diver exposure levels once divers left the area. This study is the first to (a) monitor recreational SCUBA diver activities at a critical habitat site and (b) use a non-invasive behavioural technique to study the behavioural responses of C. taurus towards SCUBA divers in southern NSW. It contributes to improving C. taurus conservation measures along the east coast of Australia by highlighting current diver behaviour and its impact on Grey Nurse Sharks at this site. Results suggest that changes in the current code of practice regarding SCUBA diving at recognized and protected Grey Nurse Shark critical habitat sites should be considered by relevant management agencies.

Decompression Sickness in Women Recreational Scuba Divers

1999 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-54
Author(s):  
Jacalyn J. Robert
Keyword(s):  
High Altitude ◽  
Decompression Sickness ◽  
Scuba Diving ◽  
Training Center ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Recreational Sport ◽  
Scuba Divers ◽  
Hyperbaric Environment ◽  
Recreational Scuba

Recreational sport diving is becoming an increasingly popular sport for women. Women now comprise approximately 25% of the diving community according to Divers Alert Network statistics. In the diving literature it has been stated that women are at a greater risk for decompression sickness than men. Most of these statements were derived from high-altitude (hypobaric environment) studies rather than from a scuba diving (hyperbaric) environment. Data from the naval diving and salvage training center were analyzed, and it was found that women are not more susceptible to decompression sickness than men during dives between 4 and 10 atmospheres. More specific studies on sport diving should be completed on factors contributing to underwater decompression sickness in both men and women.

Blacktip Reefshark (Carcharhinus melanopterus) Movement Displays During Interaction with Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus Diver in Morotai Waters, Maluku Utara, Indonesia

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 1266-1270
Author(s):  
Darmawan Ahmad Mukharror ◽  
Dewi Susiloningtyas ◽  
Tuty Handayani
Keyword(s):  
Carrying Capacity ◽  
Movement Patterns ◽  
Scuba Diving ◽  
Ecological Assessment ◽  
Coastal Development ◽  
Scuba Diver ◽  
Marine Tourism ◽  
Scuba Divers ◽  
Breathing Apparatus ◽  
Carcharhinus Melanopterus

Shark diving tourism as one of the conservation tools has been growing progressively in the recent decades. Shark diving is among the popular attraction for the marine tourism in Indonesia that plays major role—as rank fourth in the shark tourism world-for the coastal development in the eastern part of Indonesia. Morotai, as well as Derawan, Gorontalo, Biak, Raja Ampat, Nabire and Teluk Cenderawasih, Lombok, Komodo, and Banda Sea, is well known for its shark diving site. Despite its prominent status as a tourism appeal, little is known about the behavior of blacktip reefshark during the interaction with SCUBA diver. The knowledge of shark behavior during interaction with Self- Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA) diver is important for developing safer diving practice, ecological assessment, and shark tourism carrying capacity. This research involves DOV (Diver Operated Video) to capture the movement patterns of shark while interacting with SCUBA Diver. Analysis of hundreds of movement displays of the Carcharhinus melanopterus during SCUBA diving shows that this shark is having a specific and consistent movement displays while engaging with SCUBA divers.

scholarly journals Finding Environmental Knowledge in SCUBA-Based Textual Materials

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cemal Gündoğdu ◽  
Yalın Aygün ◽  
Mehmet Ilkım
Keyword(s):  
Scuba Diving ◽  
Semantic Networks ◽  
Environmental Knowledge ◽  
Aquatic Life ◽  
Environmental Behaviour ◽  
Scuba Divers ◽  
Underwater Environment ◽  
Textual Data ◽  
Recreational Scuba ◽  
Insight Into

As marine environments within the adventure domain are future key-settings for recreational SCUBA diving experience, SCUBA-based textual materials should provide insight into environmental knowledge that is well connected to the novice divers’ behaviour and attitude. This research is concerned with a major recreational SCUBA diver manual for novice divers from a position that seeks to explore its focus and scope of environmental knowledge in semantic networks. However, results obtained from thematic analyses of environmental knowledge emerged two sub-themes: marine-based conservation and aquatic life. Analyses of textual data indicated that the manual has groundling statements and notes on environmental knowledge. Furthermore, analyzing manual’ environmental documents showed that there is no skill-related knowledge, which attributes to SCUBA divers’ environmental behaviour and attitude towards underwater environment.

Validation in a Real Situation of a Virtual Multimedia Training Environment to Improve Performance and Behavior

2014 ◽  
Vol 950 ◽  
pp. 288-292
Author(s):  
Luiz Teruo Kawamoto Júnior ◽  
Waltraudi Orchulhak Kawamoto
Keyword(s):  
Real Life ◽  
Scuba Diving ◽  
Improve Performance ◽  
Real Situation ◽  
Training Environment ◽  
Scuba Divers ◽  
Conventional Tests ◽  
Recreational Scuba ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Safety Procedures

Despite the scuba diving training classes, many accidents in recreational scuba diving still occur, because of scuba divers that do not follow the safety procedures. Two virtual environments were developed, one for training and another to evaluate the knowledge about safety procedures in scuba diving, and both were validated by: questionnaires about usability and understanding of the interfaces; by experts’ evaluation and by written conventional tests. However there is doubt whether these results reflect a real situation. The purpose of this research is to verify if the Virtual Environment for Training improves the performance and the behavior of scuba divers regarding the performance and behavior during practice in real life. Results showed that in some requisites it did, and in others, the behavior was similar to the ones that had conventional training.

scholarly journals Recreational scuba divers’ knowledge regarding the audiological consequences of the sport

2010 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 80 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Pillay ◽  
NP Jardine
Keyword(s):  
Auditory System ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
Scuba Diving ◽  
Open Water ◽  
Scuba Divers ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
Medical Clearance ◽  
Mixed Method Design ◽  
Recreational Scuba ◽  
Basic Medical

Background: The sport of scuba diving may be associated with possible injuries, especially those concerning the auditory system. Research available focuses on the implications of recreational scuba diving on the auditory system. However, there is a lack of information regarding the knowledge of recreational scuba divers with regard to the audiological consequences of this sport. Method: The aim of this study was to determine whether scuba divers have knowledge pertaining to the consequences of the sport on the auditory system. Thirty-five participants were purposefully selected; their qualifications ranged from an open water diver to a course director. A mixed-method design was implemented in this study with the use of a questionnaire. Results: Forty per cent of the participants were given only the basic medical clearance form to complete; the full medical pack was not made available. However, 97% of the participants signed the medical clearance. One participant did not know that a medical clearance form was required. There were 82% of the participants who had audiological complications subsequent to diving; these individuals did not seek help from an audiologist and continued to dive. Conclusion: There is a need for awareness regarding the effects of diving on the auditory system as participants in this study were not fully aware of the risks of the sport in relation to the ear. The results suggest that participants who experience ear difficulties after dives,do not have sufficient knowledge regarding the ear and the professional who is qualified to assess and manage the difficulties.

What is wrong with recreational scuba diver databases?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terrence L. Cummins
Keyword(s):  
Scuba Diving ◽  
Scuba Diver ◽  
Recreational Scuba

This commentary draws attention to the challenges for researchers in accessing and using recreational scuba diver training agency and other dive industry databases. These challenges may lead to biased conclusions as to the size and nature of scuba diver populations, falsely identify the diver in specific sectors, distort potentials for scuba diving tourism and incorrectly ascertain what exactly motivates diver travel preferences. The commentary aims to raise awareness of the challenges of gaining access to meaningful recreational scuba diver data and a need to exercise caution when using available scuba diving industry databases.

scholarly journals Impacts of Recreational SCUBA Diving on a Natural Area in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 6249
Author(s):  
Natalia Balzaretti Merino ◽  
Myrna Leticia Bravo-Olivas ◽  
Rosa María Chávez-Dagostino ◽  
Pedro Medina-Rosas
Keyword(s):  
Scuba Diving ◽  
Natural Area ◽  
Good Practices ◽  
Marine Area ◽  
Scuba Divers ◽  
Key Players ◽  
Joint Approach ◽  
Recreational Scuba ◽  
Very High

Despite the protection status of the marine area in Los Arcos, it has experienced reef deterioration associated with tourism activities. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze SCUBA divers’ impacts by quantifying and typifying their contact with the seabed, and to determine if the diving leader’s performance is related to the behavior of the divers being guided. The number and type of impacts on the seabed were counted and categorized as intentional and non-intentional. A total of 9811 contacts were made by 101 divers. The highest frequency type of non-intentional contact identified was “lifting sediment”, following by non-intentional—fins. The “hands” intentional contact type was found to occur most often. The highest frequency of total contacts per diver was “very high” (31.7%). By analyzing the profile of the divers related to their certification level, number of dives, SCUBA center attended, and leader, it was possible to establish a relationship between the number of contacts made by the leader and the number of contacts made by the divers guided by each leader. Our findings suggest the need for a joint approach of key players toward good practices to highlight the important role of diving leaders on their clients’ behavior, and thus preserve the ecological and aesthetic qualities of the dive site.

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