Divers have long flocked to Cozumel to enjoy its world-class drift diving, trademark Caribbean visibility and year-round warm ocean temps. But the tiny Mexican island is situated along the Mesoamerican reef, more than half of which is currently in poor or critical condition due to climate change and overdevelopment. So before you pack your mask and fins, use these tips to make your next Cozumel dive trip as sustainable as possible.

Four Ways to Assess if a Dive Shop is Eco-Friendly

1. Review Its Website for Sustainability Initiatives

Here are a few things you might find mentioned on an environmentally-minded dive shop’s site:

• Education: Do they have pre-dive briefings or classes in place to educate divers on the local environment and how to protect it?
• Initiatives: Are they vague about sustainability, or do they mention concrete initiatives like reef clean-ups, recycling/zero-waste methods, or culls of invasive species?
• Small Groups: Cozumel dive shops are required to cap group sizes at eight divers per divemaster. Smaller groups make it easier for guides to protect the reef as each diver receives more individual attention.

2. Read External Reviews

You can look for mention of any sustainability practices, but you’ll likely need to read between the lines to figure out how eco-friendly they are in practice. You'll want to avoid the shop if the following shows up in repeated reviews:

• Dive instructors chasing or intimidating sea life.
• Divers are allowed to touch underwater creatures or take home items found underwater.
• Divers are constantly permitted close enough to coral to touch or damage it.

3. Visit the Shop Beforehand
If you can, head to the dive shop before booking your dives. This is a great way to verify anything you’ve read online and get a feel for the shop’s attitude towards conservation. If their site mentioned specific eco-friendly initiatives, ask about them. Can they provide you with more information, or is it clear they added eco-friendly language without any real plan in place?

4. Check to See If the Shop Is Locally Owned and Operated
This helps keep business in Cozumel’s tiny economy, plus local employees are often even more dedicated to maintaining dive sites' health for a long time to come.

Four Eco-Friendly Dive Shops in Cozumel

1. Blue Project Cozumel
Blue Project Cozumel is a family-owned and operated dive shop committed to environmental conservation on all levels. Their dives are zero-waste: they compost all food scraps and use reusable storage containers for refreshments and gear. Their small dive group sizes ensure safe, sustainable dives, with plenty of care and attention paid to each diver.

Two-Tank Dive: $90 (+$25 for full equipment rental)

2. Punta Sur Divers
According to Punta Sur Divers, all their services and activities have “responsible tourism and sustainability at their core.” They support and promote reef conservation management by implementing rotating reef rest periods. They also use strictly biodegradable cleaning products to protect Cozumel’s water quality.

Two-Tank Dive: $92 (+$20 for full equipment rental)

3. Salty Endeavors
The team at Salty Endeavors is made up of a mix of local and foreign employees, all bound by their deep reverence for the ocean. They have experience in reef restoration and have even taught locals to dive on a volunteer basis. Salty Endeavors caps their dive groups at six people, and their shop is 100 percent solar-powered!

Two-Tank Dive: $80 (+$15 for full equipment rental)

4. Eco Divers Cozumel
Eco Divers Cozumel is a long-standing sustainable shop. Locally owned and operated since 1995, Eco Divers emphasizes properly educating their dive guests to instill a sense of stewardship for the ocean and keep the reefs safe. They cap their groups at only four divers, so you get all the help you may need with buoyancy and avoiding contact with the reefs.

Two-Tank Dive: $75 (+$25 for full equipment rental)

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