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Underwater Diving in TURKEY

Within the seas of Turkey, divers can discover a fascinating submerged world, from underwater caverns to sunken ships and even the remains of ancient cities. The only areas prohibited from diving are military zones, those conducting scientific research and areas under protection.

Equipped Diving Rules

  • Forbidden Zones: Al kinds of diving excluding scientific studies in military forbidden zones as well as regions in which there are Cultural and Natural Wealth Required to be protected underwater according to 19/08/1989 date and 20257 numbered Official Gazette issued Decision of Board of Ministers, according to 35th article of 863 numbered Cultural and Natural Wealth Protection Law.You can see regions where diving is prohibited in Turkey using this link
  • Certificate: Sportive aimed equipped divers, should have the sufficiency certificate (diving card) issued by Underwater Sports, Life Guarding and Water Ski Federation. But certificates issued by organizations educating under international standards, are also valid. These certificates, can be turned into sufficiency certificate (diving card) with application to federation. Sportive dives, diving disciplinary authorizations, technical specifications and authorization certificates of Turks are issued complying with the principles determined and accepted by Youth and sports General Directorate, Underwater Sports Life Guarding and Water Ski Federation. For sportive aimed dives of foreign divers, they should be a member of International Underwater Sports Federation or national organizations or have a certificate issued by authorized organizations or institutions of their countries.
  • Responsibility:Diving and life security of the divers belongs to divers, but all of the responsibilities of course participant's during training belongs to lecturer. In dives of Turks, taking guide skin diver is under request. Foreign divers should take guide skin diver during their dives. During diving, protection of cultural and natural wealth, maintaining of property and life security of divers during diving, are under the responsibility and obligation of guide skin diver.

    But all kinds of problems exist before diving and due to the personal mistakes of divers who violates the diving rules is not under the responsibility of skin diver.
  • Material: There is no equipment limit during sportive aimed dives. Whilst equipped sportive dives, balance vest (life vest, BC), tube pressure monitor, depth monitor and time hour usage is obligatory. But usage of lifting balloon or same aimed materials are forbidden.

    Decompressed dives are absolutely forbidden. Presence of high pressurized tube filling compressor in land or in ships, which took required permissions from corresponding authorities during dives is free.

    Diving organizing agency, club, establishment, hotel, holiday village, school etc. places as well as ships should provide first aid material in stock. Underwater photographing, video camera usage during dives is free. All kinds of materials for taking picture or video recording can be used.
  • Material Maintenance:Sportive aimed diving organizing tourism agencies, yacht operators, organizations and institutions as well as underwater clubs should perform the periodic test and maintenance of diving materials (such as tube regulator, balance vest) used and owned by skin divers. These tests can be performed in civil skin diver firm agencies or organizations authorized by Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
  • Ships to be used during dives:During underwater dives, usage of Turk ships is basis. But dives are possible on condition that required permissions should be taken for foreign groups who wishes to dive from their boats as well as foreign divers who come with their ships.
  • Diving permission:Sportive aimed equipped dives are subjected to permission excluding forbidden zones. Dives, organized to places excluding forbidden zones in group by club, organization or institutions, should be informed to City Tourism Directorates or authorized organization. This information is submitted to Regional Coast Guard Headquarters (or authority within the region) by correspondent organization.

    All kinds of equipped sportive dives are subject to permission for foreign divers. Authorities which will issue these permissions are City Tourism Directorate or authorized organizations. One copy of permission forms to be issued will be submitted to Harbor Directorate and one copy of it is submitted to Regional Coast Guard Headquarters (or authority within the region) by permission issuing organization. Permission certificate, whose one copy remains at permission holding organization, should be shown to authorities during controls. Information submission and permission taking is not obligatory during dives with the aim of training as well as two persons friend system dives (excluding forbidden zones).

 
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