If you’re a visiting diver, you must be concerned with the environment as this is an activity for which you have travelled thousands of miles and shelled out thousands of dollars to come and enjoy. Many of you have probably thought about the consequences of your visit to our fair Kingdom. Did you have an impact?
Tourism, and particularly diving tourism, is often looked upon as an industry that damages the environment. This is absolutely true, as anytime man places himself into an environment, he changes it dramatically--usually for the worse. However, compared to other economic practices of humans–fishing, farming, fossil fuel production, and manufacturing-–tourism is one of the least destructive. It can generate good jobs for millions of people who don’t often have the same access to education as others in more developed countries.
There certainly will not be a lot of employed diving guides if the coral reefs suffer further abuse, and divers will not enjoy this activity if that tragic day ever arrives. But more than that, the over one-billion people who now live within 100 kilometres of coral reefs will face major health, lifestyle and economic changes if coral reefs continue to deteriorate.
Studies have estimated that worldwide, one square-meter of
coral reef protects property worth over $52,000 from erosion and other destruction. It’s important that we minimize our minimize our impact on coral reefs by consuming fewer resources, creating less garbage, using less fresh water, and being careful when we exploit coral reefs for our pleasure.
In other studies it was shown that tourism generated over $1.6 trillion in revenue worldwide. This was 27 times more revenue than all of the world’s fisheries combined! And, tourism caused a lot less environmental damage. The marine tourism industry by itself generates over $385 billion annually worldwide.
Sharks attract visitors. If a shark was caught and consumed it may be worth several thousand dollars as it goes through the retail chain (and much of that income would leave the catching country). However, it has been estimated that one live shark, which has a life-span of 30 to 40 years, 
could generate as much as $200,000 US in economic benefits-–most of which stays in the country of origin.
Shark fishing, as of May 2004, has been banned in most of the Mergui (Myeik-) Archipelago in Myanmar. It should be banned once and for all here in Thailand, and soon. Sharks may not be a very sympathetic symbol of the oceans, but they are important to the health of the environment and the economic health of a tourism industry.
Protection of the reef and its inhabitants isn’t just some symbolic, abstract idea that a bunch of ecoterrorists thought up. The bottom line is that there are many socioeconomic reasons for coral reef and marine animal protection that will have an impact on your life--especially if you live in, or enjoy visiting, the tropics. Encourage environmental protection for no better reason than your own happiness and the economic health of your host country.
