Benefits and problems using recreational
divers to obtain scientific data

Problems:

  1. Safety of divers
  2. Sport and recreational divers may not be employed to dive
  3. Limited bottom time (+/- 15 minutes per dive)
  4. Limited depth (+/- 120m)
  5. Private financial expenses incurred by recreational divers

Benefits:

  1. Low intrusiveness
  2. Agility of divers to search small caves
  3. Free data and observations
  4. Ease of performing manual tasks like installing and maintaining equipment
  5. Effect of top currents and weather on divers minimal
  6. Tourist attraction

Type of data obtainable by divers:

Over a sufficiently long period of time the added bottom times and data of all divers can be collected at a central point, which will be sufficient for statistical purposes. Also, due to the low intrusiveness of diving, natural behaviour of coelacanths and other fauna can be expected.

Divers can, for every dive into the area, provide information on:

  1. Date time etc.
  2. Temperature, Currents, Visibility etc.
  3. Photographic images of whole dive and individual coelacanths
  4. Accurate profile and location plots of dive and sightings, using high definition maps of the area.

Divers can therefore contribute to a database, which in turn can contribute or provide insight into:

  1. Photo catalogue of individuals
  2. Population size and distribution
  3. Understanding of long and short term movement and migration of coelacanths
  4. The effect of long and short term environmental changes on coelacanths
  5. Habitat favouritism
  6. The search for juveniles
  7. Understanding of the ecology of coelacanth habitat

Suggested system for safely managing the benefits of recreational diving:

  1. Establish a non-profit organisation to control and manage access of divers by way of membership screening, and to provide support to divers.
  2. The function of the organisation should be:
    1. To liase with KZN Wildlife regarding access, gathered information etc.
    2. Screen diver qualifications, fitness and experience.
    3. Together with KZN Wildlife draft rules and regulations regarding diving practises.
    4. Provide support to divers regarding:
      1. Medical,
      2. Gases,
      3. Special equipment, like video etc., and
      4. Provide information and maps.
    5. Establish and maintain a database, by means of a pre- and post dive questionnaire and website accessible to scientists and the public.
    6. Raise public awareness to attract tourists.
    7. Raise sponsorship for funding.
    8. Organise expeditions with specific objectives.


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