Voluntary Environmentally Sustainable Diving Standards

[edrobmaui]

The following is a cut/past link (sorry I can't post links yet!) of the Voluntary Standards for Environmentally Sustainable SCUBA Diving Practices in Hawaii:
(wildhawaii.org/documents/MRFDivingStandard.pdf)

This document was drafted by a consortium of conservation, education and commercial entities through the Maui Reef Fund as a proactive educational program for the diving public and commercial operators.

The Standards are still a work in progress however the largest hurdle now is making commercial operators throughout the State aware of its' existence and getting them to adopt it. HIRSA (Hawaiian Island Recreational Scuba Association) has adopted the Standards which is a good start.

 

[KrisB]

Hi Ed,

The easiest way to post a link is to just include the full URL (i.e. with the http:// ). Here's the link:
http://wildhawaii.org/documents/MRFDivingStandard.pdf

Personally, the "minimize glove use" creates more problems than it solves -- the rest of the rules / pledges mean that gloves wouldn't be used for nefarious purposes... and I strongly recommend the use of gloves when descending / ascending using any of the fixed mooring lines due to the coral growing on the ropes.

 

[edrobmaui]

Thanks for the feedback Kris. I couldn't use a link because the board wouldn't allow it until I made five posts.

The Standards are a work in progress although no one is working on it presently. I recall the issue of gloves on mooring lines was brought up and the wording implies that gloves may be used for safety and comfort. Regardless the Standards are "voluntary" at least until the State decides to force rules like these on the sport.

 

[KrisB]

Thanks for the feedback Kris. I couldn't use a link because the board wouldn't allow it until I made five posts.

The Standards are a work in progress although no one is working on it presently. I recall the issue of gloves on mooring lines was brought up and the wording implies that gloves may be used for safety and comfort. Regardless the Standards are "voluntary" at least until the State decides to force rules like these on the sport.

Ahh... I'm sorry, I didn't realize that there was a minimum 5-post... a lot of people on here have challenges with posting links (just not knowing how), so I thought that's all it was.

This is the first time I've seen the entire document -- I've seen the pledge in the past, and it didn't clarify the mooring line issue quite like the facility guide does. That one particular rule stands out as someone's personal axe to grind -- it just seems strange.

I guess my concern with that is by pointing divers at the pledge (diver version), they maybe don't recognize the coral cut issue on the mooring lines until it's too late...

I hear you on the "until the State decides to enforce..." bit. Personally, I hope they decide to enforce the existing laws before bringing further legislation into place. Existing laws like the hands-off side of MLCD's... and dive flag laws. Just today I saw a trailered DLNR research boat going down the Honoapiilani Hwy in Lahaina... with the dive flag still flying.

 

[Black_3000psi]

I know you are not going to tell us you didnt get a pic of that.sounds intresting. have to have a look see.

 

[KrisB]

I know you are not going to tell us you didnt get a pic of that.sounds intresting. have to have a look see.

Sorry, I was driving and the only camera within reach was the phone that takes a little too long to get into camera mode to make it happen...

It's not the first time I've seen strange DLNR application of the dive flag law -- I think I forwarded you photos of the DLNR boats buzzing the flags at Kakaako...

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

Thanks Ed (and Kris for posting the link).

I do like the Diver's Pledge:

DIVER'S PLEDGE
To ensure that the reefs I dive on continue to thrive, I pledge to:
1. Follow all applicable State and Federal laws related to marine life and
protected areas.
2. Be respectful to all marine life.
3. Never touch, stand, kick, stand or rest on corals.
4. Never chase, harass, flush from shelter or relocate marine life.`
5. Not feed fish or other marine life.
6. Keep a respectful distance from turtles and never chase them, block
their path or try to ride them.
7. Secure dive flags to the sandy bottom using weights or other anchoring
device or tie off to non-living surfaces.
8. Be extra careful if taking photos or videos, being aware of the reef and
respectful of the marine life.
9. Look before touching the bottom for balance, making sure it is non-living
substrate and when absolutely necessary using only one or two fingers for
contact.
10. Minimize glove use unless required by a medical condition, for thermal
protection, or for safety.

I do understand the purpose of number 10 regarding minimizing the use of gloves, but would hope that if numbers 3 and 9 were obeyed, wearing gloves could become be a non-issue.

In addition to the issue Kris mentioned regarding abrasive growth on mooring lines, gloves are near-mandatory for shore diving from lava shorelines to keep water-softened hands from being shredded on lava as you climb out of the water. But yeah, once safely in the water or away from the mooring line, gloves should be unnecessary.

Best wishes.

 

[Black_3000psi]

lol kris just givin you a hard time bro. um on its face i dont see too much wrong with the whole thing minus the glove issue. sorry but im wearing my gloves. as for number 7. I dont agree with that at all theres no reason to why a dive flag should be secured unless the divers have no plans to go beyond 100 feet of that flag.I think that everyone on the board knows how I feel about dive flag awareness. and safe practical use of the dive flag. to me the notion of securing a dive flag then going off to do a dive is not in keeping to safe diving practice and I will not support anything that does not support safe dive practices in its complete form. same thing with the gloves. gloves are a safety item to protect the hands as well as keep the body warm.

 

[scubadrewvideo]

Thanks Ed (and Kris for posting the link).

I do like the Diver's Pledge:

DIVER'S PLEDGE
To ensure that the reefs I dive on continue to thrive, I pledge to:
1. Follow all applicable State and Federal laws related to marine life and
protected areas.
2. Be respectful to all marine life.
3. Never touch, stand, kick, stand or rest on corals.
4. Never chase, harass, flush from shelter or relocate marine life.`
5. Not feed fish or other marine life.
6. Keep a respectful distance from turtles and never chase them, block
their path or try to ride them.
7. Secure dive flags to the sandy bottom using weights or other anchoring
device or tie off to non-living surfaces.
8. Be extra careful if taking photos or videos, being aware of the reef and
respectful of the marine life.
9. Look before touching the bottom for balance, making sure it is non-living
substrate and when absolutely necessary using only one or two fingers for
contact.
10. Minimize glove use unless required by a medical condition, for thermal
protection, or for safety.

I do understand the purpose of number 10 regarding minimizing the use of gloves, but would hope that if numbers 3 and 9 were obeyed, wearing gloves could become be a non-issue.

In addition to the issue Kris mentioned regarding abrasive growth on mooring lines, gloves are near-mandatory for shore diving from lava shorelines to keep water-softened hands from being shredded on lava as you climb out of the water. But yeah, once safely in the water or away from the mooring line, gloves should be unnecessary.

Best wishes.

The following items should also be included...I believe these topics do far greater damage to the marine life than handling an octopus or cleaning off the shell of a sea turtle

11. Never throw cigarette butts or any other trash out the window of your car or on the ground (if applicable on the cigarette butts).
12. Quit using all single use plastic containers, ie water bottles, grocery bags etc
13. After diving, wash your self and you property with biodegradable detergents only.
14. If you are a hunter, only hunt what you can eat...no more
15. and lets just get rid of mono-filament fishing line entirely...I have seen 3 turtles in 2 days with swallowed hooks and tangled in line...(yes, I reported it, but they will still probably die)

I have witnessed divers complain about walking on the reef and touching marine life, only to then throw cigarette butts on the ground, watch a plastic bag blow away in the wind and wash at the shower with non-biodegradable soap. If we are going to change behavior, we must change ALL behavior!

My 2 cents
p.s. I am a recent ex-smoker and all the time I smoked, I NEVER threw the butts on the ground...they went in my pocket if there was no "butt can" around.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

to me the notion of securing a dive flag then going off to do a dive is not in keeping to safe diving practice and I will not support anything that does not support safe dive practices in its complete form. same thing with the gloves. gloves are a safety item to protect the hands as well as keep the body warm.

Ever tried to tow a flag while guiding a scooter dive? It would be a pretty sad guided dive at Sharks Cove if you had to tow a flag the whole time. Same thing for Tunnels, or even 5 Caves IMHO. What, no scootering through the lava tubes and swimthroughs??? :mooner:

I have made lots of dives off 3 islands; Oahu (thousands), Lanai (hundreds) and Maui (thousands), mostly guiding tourists, and neither I nor my charges have suffered much in the way of hand damage by not wearing gloves. I make shore dives at Cliff House and Ritz Carlton (and similar), where the entry and exit are in waves on a'a cliffs, and I have never thought "I need to wear gloves."

If you are oblivious to what's going on you could hurt your hands on a dive. If you are oblivious to what's going on you probably deserve some damage and then you will learn not to be oblivious much quicker.