Every year, millions of people flock to the worlds coral reefs to marvel at the diversity of marine life they support.
But scuba and snorkelling trips can put pressure on reefs, compounding the threats they face from climate change, pollution and unsustainable use. In fact, warm water corals are under so much pressure, they could disappear by the end of this century.
Coral reefs are in peril, says Sinikinesh Beyene Jimma, the head of the Marine and Coastal Ecosystems Unit of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It is important for tourists to do everything they can to minimize their impact on these magnificent and fragile ecosystems.
Through a series of small grants programmes, UNEP works with hotels, dive outfits, snorkel operators, community organizations and governments to protect marine ecosystems, including coral reefs. As part of the push, UNEP and partners have developed a series of practical recommendations many very simple that reef-lovers can take to safeguard these undersea cities.
Patronize businesses where conservation is a priority
Across the globe, more hotels and reef-related businesses are recognizing that protecting corals is central to their future. Many support reef restoration, partner with marine protected areas, or back local groups that patrol coastal ecosystems. Some, like those that belong to the UNEP-supported Reefs of Hope, are even growing hearty strains of corals capable of surviving in a warming ocean.
As a visitor, choose resorts or dive operations that engage in this type of conservation or restoration work. This will help keep coral nurseries running, rangers on the water, and coastal communities employed in conservation, not just hospitality.
If youre travelling to the Caribbean, this guide outlines what you should be looking for in hotels and tour operators.
Get involved in coral restoration
Some resorts, like those in Fiji and Samoa, offer guided visits to coral nurseries or simple adoptacoral schemes, where your fee helps maintain restoration sites and support local reef teams. Guests can snorkel over nurseries, help with basic coral gardening tasks or symbolically adopt a coral to fund longterm work. For visitors, this is a chance to see hope beneath the surface. For businesses that rely on corals, it is proof that tourism can help finance naturepositive solutions.
Dive and snorkel with operators that follow Green Fins standards
Everyday choices by dive and snorkel centres from where boats are moored to how waste is managed can either damage reefs or protect them. A single boat anchor, for example, can crush decades of coral growth in seconds.
Thats why UNEP and The ReefWorld Foundation, a conservation group, created Green Fins in 2004. It is the only internationally recognized environmental standard for marine tourism. Members follow a code of conduct that includes avoiding contact with coral, using mooring buoys instead of anchoring and giving wildlife space.
When booking a dive or snorkel trip, choose operators that explain their operating procedures and demonstrate how they avoid damaging corals.
Be mindful of what you do in the water
Youve picked a responsible tour operator but your job isnt quite done. There are still a few simple things you can do to protect corals once you arrive at your destination.
First, choose your sunscreen carefully Some have toxic properties that can kill marine species. Others can interfere with their reproduction, immune systems and resilience, with some of this fallout lasting multiple generations. Thats why Reef-World recommends using sunscreens that only have non-nano zinc oxide or titanium oxide as active ingredients.
Tourism can become part of the solution to the ocean crisis when operators, communities and travellers work together to protect marine ecosystems.
Second, when youre on holiday, bring your own reusable water bottle and avoid singleuse plastics, which often wind up in the ocean as litter. You can also take part in regular beach and underwater cleanups, following Green Fins cleanup guidelines.
Third, when swimming, snorkelling, or diving make sure you dont stand on corals. Do not chase, touch or feed any marine life. Feeding fish can cause them to rely on handouts or become sick, among other things. Also, maintain neutral buoyancy when diving so you do not crash into reefs or stir up sediment that can smother coral.
Finally, never buy coral souvenirs and only eat fish that has been sustainably caught.
Become a citizen scientist and help monitor coral health in a warming world
As global warming drives up ocean temperatures, corals are in the crosshairs. Mass coral bleaching in 2023 and 2024 showed how quickly warming seas can transform vibrant reefs into ghostly landscapes. In response, Green Fins, PADI AWARE Foundation and the United States of Americas National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration launched a global campaign to monitor coral bleaching.
As a diver, snorkeler or dive operator, you can use this toolkit to educate yourself about coral bleaching and take part in monitoring the next bleaching event. You can even collect and submit monitoring data. That can help with the management of coral reefs, and allow local conservation officials to better understand the most vulnerable and most resilient coral hotspots.
Written by Shalom Vuyanzi
Technically reviewed by Niloufar Bayani, Heidi Savelli-Soderberg
About UNEPs Small Grants Programme on Coral Reefs, Mangroves and Seagrasses
UNEPs Small Grants Programme for the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of marine and coastal ecosystems empowers civil society partners, local communities, womens groups, youth organizations, and indigenous peoples who depend on healthy oceans and ecosystems for their livelihoods, food security, and cultural identity. From mangrove forests to seagrass meadows to coral reefs, the programme helps communities safeguard the ecosystems that buffer coastlines, store blue carbon, sustain biodiversity and provide livelihoods for some of the most vulnerable communities in the world.
About Green Fins
Green Fins was established by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and The ReefWorld Foundation and provides the only internationally recognized environmental standards for diving and snorkelling operations. Through a 15point code of conduct, inperson assessments and the global Green Fins Hub, it helps marine tourism operators reduce local pressures on reefs, track progress and connect with a community of peers.
