DON’T purchase products made from turtle shells anywhere in the world. For the same reason, avoid buying souvenirs made from shark jaws, shells (especially tritons) or coral.

DON’T eat dishes prepared with the meat, eggs or fat of a turtle, including the infamous soup. This is especially true for travelers in Indonesia and Bali where there still exists a flourishing and semilegal trade in turtle meat, targeted exclusively at tourists.

DON’T eat dishes prepared with shark meat such as the infamous sharkfin soup. Every species of shark found in tropical and subtropical waters is in grave danger from fishermen who supply the world’s Chinese restaurants.

DON’T eat lobsters in excessive quantities just because you can do so in the tropics. The appetite and provincialism of Western tourists have brought about an alarming decline of this crustacean in almost all tropical waters.

DON’T buy traditional Chinese remedies, especially those prepared using reef animals. Beyond their doubtful efficacy (and occasional outright danger to one’s health), the trade in them severely threatens many fish species, from sharks to seahorses.

DON’T buy or use shark-derived medicinal products such as immunitary system boosters and the like. These are of very dubious scientifical value and a main source of shark harvesting in Central America.

DON’T walk on the reef, even in rubber-soled shoes. Every step would destroy the work of millions of creatures toiling over hundreds of years. Limit romantic moonlit walks to the beach, where it is also cozier and much more comfortable – especially if you want to sit down.

DON’T touch corals and reef inhabitants when diving. Besides risking an ugly wound or allergic reaction, you could destroy a stony coral colony’s hundred years’ labor in a few seconds. For the same reason, be very careful where you flap your fins and how you move about. Practice on your buoyancy skills!

DON’T carry off living or dead organisms from a submerged reef or beach. Things that seem marvelous in the moment will quickly start to smell and become decontextualized dead weight at home. Corals, shells and starfish are far more beautiful left where they are and, above all, left alive.

DON’T harass, disturb or endanger marine life, neither for petting nor for taking pictures. Avoid touching sleeping fish and handling marine life. You’re a guest down there and none of that is yours – take away only photos, leave behind only bubbles.