Diving in the sense of going underwater, has these purposes.
| Type of diving
| Classed as
|
| archaeology (shipwrecks; harbours and houses sunk by storm or earth movements)
| scientific
|
| cave diving
| technical,recreational
|
| civil engineering in harbours, water supply and drainage systems
| commercial
|
| constructing,testing & maintaining equipment for the oil & offshore construction industries
| commercial
|
| boat and ship inspection, cleaning and maintenance
| commercial, naval
|
| demolition and salvage of ship wrecks
| commercial,naval
|
| fish farm maintenance
| commercial
|
| fishing, e.g. for pearls, scallops, abalones, crabs, lobsters, sea crayfish
| commercial
|
| diver training for reward
| professional
|
| media diving : making television programs, etc
| professional
|
| harbour clearance and maintenance
| military
|
| stealthy infiltration
| military
|
| manned torpedo,frogman
| military
|
| mine clearance and bomb disposal, disposing of unexploded ordnance
| military,naval
|
| search and recovery diving
| commercial
|
| search and recovery by police for evidence and bodies
| police
|
| rescue diving for underwater casualties
| police
|
| diving to investigate or arrest unauthorized divers
| police,military,naval
|
| surveying sea life and freshwater life, marine biology
| scientific
|
| underwater tourism
| recreational
|
Most of the classes of diving listed here, except recreational diving, are some form of professional diving, however some professional diving activities are carried out by volunteer recreational divers.