Freediving offers quieter, low-impact way to explore ocean, says expert

SEMPORNA: Freediving offers a quieter, lower-impact way to explore the ocean, allowing divers to minimise disturbance to marine life, says the Philippines' top-ranked freediver Maria Noella Zosa.

She said responsible diving was not about going deeper, but about building a closer connection with the ocean while understanding the impact of human activity on the marine environment.

"Unlike scuba diving, freedivers can control their movements and reduce bubbles underwater. Bubbles interfere with marine life.

"With a mask, snorkel and fins, you can go in and out several times. It is very convenient and freediving is for all ages," she told the New Straits Times on the second day of the inaugural Pesta Igal-Igal off Mantabuan Island yesterday.

Semporna offers many islands with crystal-clear waters and rich marine biodiversity for scuba divers to explore.

The 10-year freediver, who has won multiple international medals by holding her breath for several minutes, said the skill was also practised by the Bajau Laut community when diving for food.

"I know the Sama-Bajau in the Philippines because I was doing a documentary with them. They are similar to the Bajau Laut in Sabah."

Maria said ocean communities could develop tourism products based on their culture and traditional skills, including wooden masks and diving fins.

"Giving ocean communities a greater role in tourism could also create opportunities for them to benefit directly from protecting and showcasing their marine environment," she said.

The Bohol-based yoga instructor cited the Tagbanua community in Coron, Palawan, as an example of indigenous people playing a role in managing tourism activities.

The tribe, which is one of the oldest Indigenous ethnic groups in the Philippines, had received legal recognition of its ancestral domain, granting it rights and allowing its members to act as traditional guardians of Coron's famous sacred lakes.

"The elders of the Bajau Laut community could also do the same."

Maria took part in a freediving showcase and introductory lesson in the open sea for festival-goers.

Visitors also had the chance to experience bogo, a traditional wooden boat associated with the Bajau Laut community in Semporna.

Unlike the more elaborately decorated lepa boats commonly featured during festivals, the smaller bogo is traditionally used for everyday activities such as local transport, family travel and coastal fishing.