On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the implementation of the International guidelines for responsible divers, now available in 19 languages, and relying on the experiences of the diving ambassador centers, Longitude 181 Nature wishes to publish, in 2012, the International guide of the responsible diving centers.

 

What is that guide?

This guide counts the scuba diving structures, and assesses their efforts towards a better knowledge of marine environment, a lower impact on the environment and the actions taken for its long term safeguard.

It aims to promote the structures which are acting in favour of a more responsible diving. It will help to guide the divers in their choice when they come to select a place for their diving holidays, in France or abroad.

Every structure which will request to be listed in the guide, together with the ambassador centers of the International guidelines, will have to commit itself to post up the International guidelines of responsible diver, to spread them and to organize the diving sessions within its principles.

Beyond this first commitment, the differences between the diving structures will be based on the additional efforts they will make to enhance the protection of marine environment, according to the ideas developed in the international guidelines for responsible diver. They will be distinguished along a number of “planets”, from 1 to 3 planets, according to the importance of the achievements and efforts they will have agreed to.

The « objective » assessment method will be implemented thanks to an “assessment grid”. The diving centers will commit themselves to fill up and post up this grid in order to allow the divers to assess and respect the efforts made by the center.

 

Assessment grid

To be listed in the guide, it is at least necessary:
to be an ambassador of the International guidelines, to post them up clearly and to organize diving sessions in line with them.

The assessment will be about the efforts made in 3 domains:
1 – Knowledge of the environment and divers training
2 – Reducing its impact on the environment (building, boat, diving conduct)
3 – Actions for a long-term preservation and a fair share of the resources with local inhabitants.

We collected, as examples, the achievements already set up by some Ambassador centers of the International guidelines for responsible diver, with the purpose of offering a sustainable activity and a better preservation of the marine environment.

Here is the proposed layout of the guide :

with the support of