Scuba divers invest 4 billion dollars yearly to coastal economies

More than 500 scuba divers from different parts of the USA took part in a web-based survey conducted by the Oceana, a public not for profit organization whose declared mission is protectionand conservation the marine wildlife of the world ocean, have responded to 25 questions. The data were collected by the Oceana in a joint effort with Duke University. So, questioning the people who dive with scuba has shown the existence of a strong economic incentive for protecting living ocean resources within this group of the research participants. Further research revealed that many scuba divers do have strong wish, as well as willingness, to pay some extra cash for having chance to see healthy sharks, corals, sea turtles, stingrays and other representatives of marine life in their natural environment.

Suzanne Garrett, the dive program coordinator at Oceana, literally said: "Divers understand the importance of safeguarding marine wildlife and habitats", being "avid participants in ecotourism". The overwhelming majority of active scuba divers have demonstrated eager willingness to protect all the inhabitants of the world's oceans waters.

During the past decade scuba divers are estimated to have contributed more than $4.1 billion dollars to local coastal economies of the nations, whose scuba diving tourism industry constitutes major source of income. This amount of money has been flowing into the states' budget practically each year through dive-related vacations.

Among the 25 different questions included in the online questionnaire, participating scuba divers were asked about the maximum amount of money they would be willing to pay additionally to their normal dive costs if this would increase the likelihood of them viewing a particular specie they are most interested in.

The following table demonstrates the average additional amount of money the scuba divers are willing to pay per dive to view marine wildlife and the total annual value across all six million dives taken in the United States:

Value (U.S. $)	Sea Turtles	Sharks	Healthy Corals
Average Per Dive	$29.63	$35.36	$55.35
Total Annual Value	$177.8 million	$212.2 million	$332.1 million

Scuba divers are personally interested in being able to view healthy marine life when they explore the underwater world. Quantifying this value is important, in part because it provides economic justification for the protection of marine wildlife. In fact, each and every scuba diver is a valuable participant in ecotourism providing economic input for coastal areas that are naturally interested in protecting and preserving the oceans. Moreover, many non-coastal communities too are places of activities of to scuba divers and dive shops, benefiting from the economic activities of the world's dive community.

Divers are people who know personally, but not by hearsay what happens with the marine wildlife in the water, therefore they are most valuable advocates of ocean protection. Activities like commercial fishing, pollution and climate change keep threatening future existence of the inhabitants of the world’s oceans.

Another question the web-based survey offered for the scuba divers was whether they believe the U.S. government provides sufficient support to the protection of the US dive sites. The majority of scuba divers gave negative answer. The most threatening activities for the world ocean in order of priority were defined: pollution, unsustainable fishing, loss of habitat, loss of biodiversity and, ultimately, climate change. The scuba divers feel the United States should make effort to improve ocean conservation and to help protect marine habitats more effectively.

US based locations to dive with marine wildlife, recommended by the Oceana, include: Florida Keys – Corals; North Carolina – Sand Tiger Sharks; Hawaii – Manta Rays; Dry Tortugas, Florida – Sea Turtles; California – Sea Lions.