Mission Deep Blue is taking the first steps toward joining a worldwide community of individuals dedicated to protecting one of the world’s most valuable resources - the ocean. It’s no secret that our oceans face some daunting problems, from overfishing to climate change to plastic pollution. News outlets regularly publish updates on climbing global temperatures as politicians make climate change into a political debate, despite a global consensus from the scientific community. Historical records of fish catches show declining populations and reduced sizes in mature adult species, even as we increase the caloric needs of our nations. Wildfires, hurricanes, typhoons and other natural disasters are increasingly common, and affect greater numbers of humans as our population grows. It’s understandable to feel that the situation has become impossible, and that there’s no hope for humanity.

We believe otherwise. (Mission Deep Blue Site)

The world is filled with incredible individuals, communities, and organizations who are doing amazing work toward reversing many of the negative impacts that the planet is experiencing. These people are not content to simply sit by and watch - they’re taking action at every level of involvement to enact positive and progressive change for the better.

Responsible Tourism Guidelines
*Environmental Awareness

• Commit to personally protect the environmentPrevent others from causing damage through positive action and motivation
• Support useful projects and organizations dedicated to marine protection
• If possible, collect garbage on your dives or trips, but only if it will not cause more damage to the environment
• If possible, cut hanging ropes and collect floating nets and plastics - inform your buddy or the crew on the surface if you were not able to remove the net
• Never eat shark fins, whale meat, turtle eggs, or other unsustainable marine species
• Immediately report violations of the ban on the use of marine animals as souvenirs to the proper authorities

*Interacting with the Environment

• Only use a swim-through if you can do so without touching anything
• Do not swim or snorkel too close to the reef
• Do not touch or break corals
• Use labeled entrances/exits for the water
• Do not disturb the sand since it reduces visibility and smothers corals
• Do not hunt or bother animals
• Do not touch animals unless properly trained
• Do not feed animals
• Do not take souvenirs from the sea - broken coral pieces or empty snail shells still serve as useful habitat
• Only place a reef hook where it will not damage or disturb the reef
• Do not disturb animals or habitat to improve your photo opportunity

* Waste Creation and Disposal

• Never throw inorganic waste into the sea – plastics decompose incredibly slowly
• Minimize the production of garbage
• Avoid using plastic bags while shopping; bring a reusable shopping bag with you
• Try to buy fruits and vegetables without packaging; a small basket or a cloth bag can replace a plastic bag
• Buy your drinks in glass bottles or cans and try to avoid plastic bottles
• Use reusable metal or glass bottles for drinking
• Use a reusable coffee mug instead of a disposable mug
• Do not use aluminum foil and plastic bags to transport your food; use reusable lunch boxes instead
• Do not bring unnecessary packaging to the resort
• Dispose of your waste in as ecologically-friendly a manner as possible
• If you smoke, dispose of cigarette butts in the proper receptacle, not on the ground or in the water

* Responsible Resource Use

• Shower only as long as required to get clean, especially in areas with little ability to store/purify water
• Wash your equipment in the provided container and only when necessary – often it’s enough to clean equipment thoroughly at the end of the trip
• Turn off the lights when you aren’t using them
• Use alternative transportation or walk instead of driving
• Avoid unnecessary waste - food plans and shopping lists help save you money, and prevent purchasing unnecessary food that may go to waste