Karan Deshpande and Dylan D'Souza, Area-Based Management and Coral Reefs, Marine Program, WCS-India, conducted a meeting with SCUBA diving professionals and dive tourism managers on the topic of "Managing Diving at Grande and Saint George Island".
Dive operators in Goa are key stakeholders for our Marine Program's project at Grande and Saint George Island. Over 20 years, these groups of professionals have stewarded marine environmental education through SCUBA dive courses and facilitated habitat surveys for research and conservation groups.
This interactive session involved conversations on the ecological status of the urban reef habitat, changes observed over the decade and discussions on potential pathways to steward sustainable dive tourism in Goa. At the end of the meeting, our team disseminated outreach materials designed to aid dive professionals in their efforts to inculcate responsible diving practices amongst tourists and recreational divers in Goa.
