AWARE Our World, Our Water ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Project AWARE Foundation would like to thank our partner, Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), for the generous donation of this manual. In particular we would like to thank PADI staff and others who have contributed to the manuscript: Kurt Amsler, Lori Bachelor-Smith, Greg Beatty, Juerg Beeli, Alex Brylske, Kristen Core, Pat Fousek, Yosihiro Inoue, John Kinsella, Todd R. Menzel, Jan Moeller Busch, Jean-Claude Monachon, Jeff Myers, Mary Kaye Nesbit, Henrik Nimb, Olle Olsson, Carol Porter, Suzanne Pleydell, Drew Richardson, Dail Schroeder, Karl Shreeves, Brad Smith, Susan E. Tate, Kristin Valette and Bob Wohlers. Project AWARE Foundation also thanks the following individuals and organizations for their photo contributions: 5Ball, Kurt Amsler, Peter Auster, Ken Berry, Alex Brylske, John Boyer, Dana Point Historical Society, Jeremy Stafford-Dietsch, Peter Dreisel, Douglas Good, Tom Haight, Bill Jurney, Jean-Marc Labbe, John Nesbit, Mary Kaye Nesbit, Bob Leite, Tiffany Leite, Michigan Sea Grant, Andy Muir, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Undersea Research Center (NURC), North Carolina National Estuarine Research Center, Ocean Conservancy, Terrence O’Brien, Alese Pechter, Mort Pechter, Doug Perrine, Innerspace Visions, Damian Searles, Katherine Smith, Michel Verdure, Philip Pinto, REEF, Reef Relief, Jeremy Stafford-Deitsch, Kristin Valette, Vee TECH, Cliff Wassmann, Daniel West, Bob Wohlers and Margan Zajdowicz. To download a free PDF of this document, to learn more about Project AWARE Foundation, and to submit comments or suggestions about this, or other Project AWARE products or programs, please visit our website: www.projectaware.org AWARE-Our World, Our Water Copyright Project AWARE Foundation 2009 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA. Product No. 70241 (Rev 4/10) Version 1.02 i AWARE – Our World, Our Water TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER FIVE Introduction Aquatic Resources in Peril Introduction ........................................................... 1-2 Pollution ................................................................ 5-1 How to Use This Book .......................................... 1-3 Fisheries Management .......................................... 5-10 Project AWARE Foundation .................................. 1-4 Coastal Zone and Wetland Degradation .............. 5-19 CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER SIX The Aquatic World Troubled Waters Earth’s Aquatic Environment ................................. 2-1 The World’s Most Environmentally Freshwater Ecosystems ........................................... 2-4 Threatened Regions ................................................ 6-1 The Ocean and Seas ............................................... 2-7 Marine Productivity ............................................... 2-8 CHAPTER SEVEN The Coastal Zone ................................................. 2-12 What You Can Do To Protect the Aquatic Environment CHAPTER THREE Diving AWARE ..........................................................7-1 Temperate and Polar Waters Getting Involved .........................................................7-4 Ocean Productivity ................................................ 3-1 Removing Debris From the Aquatic Environment ......7-5 Life Between the Tides ........................................... 3-4 Mooring Buoys ...........................................................7-8 Kelp Forests ......................................................... 3-11 Marine Protected Areas ...............................................7-9 Polar Regions ....................................................... 3-15 Artificial Reefs ...........................................................7-10 The Future ................................................................7-12 CHAPTER FOUR Coral Reefs APPENDIX Coral Reefs – Diversity and Beauty ........................ 4-1 Glossary ......................................................................... A-1 Reef Fish ................................................................ 4-5 Bibliography .................................................................. A-5 Threats – Natural and Human-Induced ................. 4-9 Knowledge Review ......................................................... A-6 ii AWARE – Our World, Our Water CHAPTERCHAPTER ONE ONE INTRODUCTION AWARE – Our World, Our Water INTRODUCTION • Introduction • How to Use This Book • Project aware foundation INTRODUCTION “How odd it seems that we call our home planet Earth when it is so clearly Ocean.” – Arthur C. Clark ater is life. All of us – every living creature – depend upon Photo courtesy of NOAA/Department of Commerce Wthe earth’s ocean, seas, rivers, streams and lakes, not only for water, but for food, transportation, power, health and recreation. As human beings, our relationship with the water surrounding us is complex. We fi nd beauty and wonder in the creatures that live in and around aquatic environments, and often fi nd solace in just gazing out over the water’s surface. Yet, at the same time, we seek to control water resources and exploit them for our benefi t. Our connection to the water world is both undeniable and critical, now and in the future. “We want to feel that our children, their children and generations to come will be able to enjoy the underwater world that has given us so much. There are many signifi cant problems facing mankind, but this is truly our cause. If divers do not take an active role in preserving the aquatic realm, who will?” – John J. Cronin, CEO, PADI 1-1 AWARE – Our World, Our Water This book is a student manual for Project AWARE Specialty and • Threats to one of the ocean’s most spectacular environments AWARE Coral Reef Conservation Course. It is also a valuable — coral reefs (Chapter 4). resource for anyone interested in understanding and preserving • The pertinent issues that place aquatic ecosystems in jeop- aquatic environments. In upcoming chapters you’ll learn about: ardy, including fi sheries concerns, coastal zone and wetlands • How the entire aquatic world functions as a single ecosystem degradation and pollution (Chapter 5). (Chapter 2). • The world’s most environmentally threatened aquatic regions • The importance of and threats to both temperate and polar (Chapter 6). waters. (Chapter 3) • How you can help conserve aquatic ecosystems worldwide (Chapter 7). Photo courtesy of NOAA/Department of Commerce 1-2 AWARE – Our World, Our Water HOW TO USE THIS BOOK o get the most out of this book, fi rst fi nd a comfortable will review the Knowledge Review with you and answer any addi- Tplace that allows you to focus on what you’re reading. Next, skim tional questions you may have. through the book, noting headings, photos, illustrations and captions. This gives you an overview of what you’ll be learning. Project AWARE Specialty Course When you begin a chapter, review the Study Questions. Look In 1998, Project AWARE expanded its educational mission by for the answers to these questions as you read. Highlighting introducing the Project AWARE Specialty course. This course is or underlining the answers reinforces learning and helps you a formal, but fun, introduction for divers and nondivers alike to remember the information. the plight of the world’s aquatic ecosystems. Committed PADI You’ll fi nd a short quiz at the end of each chapter that lets Professionals offer this program to anyone who wants to fi nd out you assess your comprehension. If you miss any questions, review more about, and take responsibility for, marine and freshwater that part of the chapter until you understand the information. At environments. Although diving and snorkeling offer the best the end of the book, you’ll fi nd a Knowledge Review that covers avenues to appreciate the aquatic world, you do not have to dive material from all chapters. Complete the Knowledge Review, to participate in the Project AWARE Specialty course – it’s open rereading sections as necessary to fi nd the answers. If you are to everyone. The only requirement is an interest in learning more enrolled in a Project AWARE Specialty course, your instructor about the 70 percent of the earth covered with water. PADI–The Professional Association of Diving Instructors “The Way the World Learns to DiveTM” PADI (Professional Association facilities, instructors, assistant instructors of Diving Instructors) is the and divemasters) teach the vast majority world’s largest recreational diver of the world’s recreational divers, issuing training organization. The PADI nearly 1,000,000 certifi cations each year. membership includes dive busi- PADI Professionals make underwater explora- nesses, resort facilities, academic tion and adventure accessible to the public institutions, instructor train- while maintaining the highest industry stan- ers, dive educators, divers, dards for dive training, safety and customer snorkelers and other service. PADI was the fi rst scuba train- watersports enthusiasts. ing organization to establish a nonprofi t Professional PADI organization dedicated to preserving the Members (dive centers, aquatic environment, the Project AWARE resorts, educational Foundation. 1-3 AWARE – Our World, Our Water PROJECT AWARE FOUNDATION hen it comes