Log in Free trial  Specialization and Marine Based Environmental
Behaviors among SCUBA Divers  Article excerpt   Coral reefs are
a major attraction for SCUBA (Self Contained Underwater
Breathing Apparatus) divers, and with the global growth in
diving, concerns about the negative impacts of divers on the
reefs has grown. It has been estimated that there are between
5-7 million active divers worldwide, and the United States alone
accounts for between 1.6-2.9 million divers (Professional
Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), 2005).  Recent
accounts have projected that 60% of the world's reefs are
currently under threat (Mastny, 2001), while 27% have already
been lost (Status of the Coral Reefs of the World, 2000). Major
tourist dependent communities that specialize in dive tourism
have experienced substantial damages to their reefs due to heavy
concentration of divers at certain sites (Hawkins & Roberts,
1994). In addition to visitor numbers, lack of technical
competence in diving and inappropriate behaviors