Do photographers inadvertently harass marine life?

[Catito]

The minute part of the undersea world that recreational divers see is the exact opposite of the vast majority of the largely lifeless mud bottom of the ocean. The continental shelf is only 8% of the ocean and runs between 100–200 m or 330–660'. Divers routinely visit less than 1% of that. I'm not arguing that we can't visibly impact some of those tiny areas, but is is far from the big picture.

The ocean barely notices a few clumsy divers that disturb the bottom. The same divers that endlessly fuss about other divers conveniently forget about what their boat anchor does, let alone what drag nets do that supply their fish mongers.

Because it is 8% we should destroy it? Nope. Doesn’t bounce back. Visit the Keys. You’ll see the big photo rigs, the flailing fins, the broken sea fans.

 

[Akimbo]

Because it is 8% we should destroy it?

Of course not. Read it again. Not 8%. Less than 1% of the entire continental shelf which represents 8% of the ocean. Nobody said clumsy divers are good for the ocean, but is not something to get hysterical about either.

Don't think that some minute part of the ocean you have the privilege of seeing, along with thousands of other divers, represents a significant part of the system. One 60 Lb/30KG anchor and chain does more damage that 100 overweighed tourist divers.

 

[Blackcrusader]

Hmmm some people must dive in nice clear water...

Very rare lol This taken in Bali with an Olympus TG4

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Very rare lol This taken in Bali with an Olympus TG4

View attachment 728561

That fish doesn’t look very harassed to me.

 

[Nemrod]

Never mind.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Of anyone’s noticed, ASD made the first OP post then bailed out.
I think we got trolled.

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

More than once, I have seen photographers laying on the reef to get the shot. I occasionally use a GoPro, but to me no shot is worth crunching a coral that maybe took decades to grow.

 

[Gone for diving]

Of anyone’s noticed, ASD made the first OP post then bailed out.
I think we got trolled.

Yes it quite normal... but look how much smarter ASD is..

try asking, ASD a direct question...

 

[BoltSnap]

Of anyone’s noticed, ASD made the first OP post then bailed out.
I think we got trolled.

It is waiting for parts replacement as upgrade but shipping is very bad these days.

 

[Fibonacci]

One thing I've observed a couple of times now is not so much the divers causing damage (though that can happen of course) its more the presence of the diver-photographer altering the 'balance of power' in the local habitat...
On night dives some of the more enterprising predators follow the photographers around and can gobble up a stunned subject at the edge of field just as the super bright video light moves on to the next one!