To a large extent this is achieved by avoiding contact with sensitive reef life,[1] but it also applies to diving on historical wrecks and in caves with delicate rock formations.
Low impact diving training has been shown to be effective in reducing diver contact with the bottom, the most common cause of reef damage.
[5] Dive guides are expected to provide a good example for their clients, and should refrain from physically handling marine life, or making contact with sensitive benthic organisms, but they have often been observed to do these things while pointing out items of interest.
[1][3] A large proportion of recreational divers do not take training that teaches the skills required to effectively limit contact with the solid environment,[3] though this aspect of diving skill is part of most training for diving in overhead environments, where the skills are relevant to diver safety as well as environmental conservation, so the greatest recorded impact is in open water diving in easily accessible and popular but sensitive ecosystems, where fragile and often brittle organisms can be visibly damaged by clumsy and careless divers, and the damage remains obvious over long periods and is seen by many.
[6] The program is used to train divers to utilize proper body positioning and safe interaction with coral reefs, fragile marine ecosystems and shipwrecks.
[7] This program was adopted by the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and dive training operations worldwide.
The focus is on buoyancy, streamlining, weighting, trim and propulsion techniques beyond the standard entry level courses of PADI and SSI.
[1] The British Sub-Aqua Club and Big Blue Conservation provide a course to educate divers about problems affecting the marine ecology.