SCUBA diving gloves are small but can save divers a lot of pain. They are designed to help minimize the risk of a dive being cut, scraped, bitten, or stung if it accidentally comes in contact with something hazardous–anything from a sharp edge on a dock to a dangerous jellyfish. With that in mind, why do some dive destinations not allow divers to wear gloves?
The reasoning is simple: Coral reefs worldwide are in danger of destruction. One of the things that imperils them is irresponsible or forgetful divers who can touch or break parts of the reef during dives. Unfortunately, eco-tourism in these dive destinations provides the economic impetus for countries to protect these fragile ecosystems.
The solution is pretty simple, too, though it has its flaws. Divers that have to dive defensively are less likely to damage reefs. By banning gloves on these dives, dive destinations hope to make divers more aware and less likely to touch a potentially dangerous creature. For marine life, a slime coat functions like a diver’s gloves: as a barrier between them and the dangerous outside world. Even a light touch to a coral can damage its protective slime coating, opening the door for parasites or bacterial infections.
That said, things aren’t that simple. Banning gloves doesn’t address the root cause of this type of reef damage, but it does put divers in danger. Some divers not attempting to touch anything may find their hands bitten when mistaken for prey items. In some waters, hypothermia can pose a significant threat. In other situations, a minor cut or scrape can quickly become a raging infection.
Taking everything into account
While gloves are an important piece of safety equipment, something has to happen to protect fragile reef ecosystems from irresponsible or absent-minded people. Until a better solution is devised, eliminating gloves at some dive locations can make a significant difference in the lives of the marine animals that depend on eco-tourism to protect them.
