Artificial Reef Applications for Diving Tourism

Diving tourism has been very popular in the world and Turkey. In addition to reasons such as seeking hobbies and socializing, marine biodiversity, natural reefs, wrecks, and corals cause more and more people to dive every day. In many regions in Turkey, which has many underwater riches, diving is prohibited for reasons such as archaeological and military zones and natural reserves. Therefore, alternative diving points have been created for diving tourism by using artificial reefs in recent years. Within the scope of 35 artificial wreck reefs, in which diving tourism has been carried out in Turkey, 3000 amphoras, many thematic sculptures, 22 ships, 9 planes, and 1 tank were launched. While decommissioned vehicles were used in the first years, underwater parks with different themes have been created in recent years. In this study, artificial wreck reefs in Turkey were examined, and the permit process, the structures, and the interests of divers were evaluated. In addition, mistakes made in material and location selection and interactions with other sectors are also discussed.