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Emma
Student
Yuma, Arizona
1
Question
Updated
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How does marine life behave around divers?
I want to know how fish react to people swimming around in their environment. Do certain species of fish interact with people more than others?
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Sarah Hudak
Previously: Onboard Fisheries Biologist, Currently: Fisheries Liaison for Offshore Wind
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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Updated
Sarah’s Answer
Some types of fish are more sociable with humans than others, and even within the same species, certain fish may be more outgoing due to their individual level of risk tolerance. Animal behavior is not fixed and depends on how each creature perceives the "risks" versus "rewards" of an action. For instance, a fish might decide to leave its safe haven to look for food if it thinks there are no dangerous predators around, believes it can avoid or escape from any possible threats, or is extremely hungry and therefore must risk the potential interaction.
While some species might be more cautious, others, (such as the black sea bass, in my experience) are more aggressive or curious and more likely to interact with divers. Moreover, species that often inhabit areas frequently visited by humans, like popular diving spots on reefs, might be more used to seeing humans and thus view them as less threatening. Some species might even actively approach humans in areas where people often feed fish, like on diving tours.
In conclusion, the likelihood of interaction between fish and humans largely depends on the type of fish and how accustomed they are to human presence.
While some species might be more cautious, others, (such as the black sea bass, in my experience) are more aggressive or curious and more likely to interact with divers. Moreover, species that often inhabit areas frequently visited by humans, like popular diving spots on reefs, might be more used to seeing humans and thus view them as less threatening. Some species might even actively approach humans in areas where people often feed fish, like on diving tours.
In conclusion, the likelihood of interaction between fish and humans largely depends on the type of fish and how accustomed they are to human presence.