Researchers: Thomas Webler and Karin Jakubowski

Project Overview

Our study into the recreational misuse of coral reefs by divers and snorkelers in Puerto Rico characterized the nature and magnitude of tourism pressures on coral reefs. This is an important issue because tourism is a significant economic force in Puerto Rico and sustenance of healthy reef ecosystems is essential to its productive survival. The ecotourism industry, by in large, recognizes the value and importance of coral reefs to their sustainability as businesses, and have supported this research.  Damage to the reefs is usually caused by the inappropriate behavior of individual divers and snorkelers and not the behavior of the industry and is something the tourism industry has a hard time to control.  While tour operators give careful and clear instructions for how to behave at the reef, divers and snorkelers don't always listen or act appropriately.

Over two years, we made in-water observations of recreational visitors to Puerto Rico’s coral reefs. We also developed coral reef etiquette messages for divers and snorkelers to view before visiting reefs on a tourist vessel.  A video message has been shown to hundreds of snorkelers and divers before they boarded a vessel.  On board, visitors were also asked to sign a pledge stating commitment to specific behaviors.

This research suggests the pre-trip messaging together with a written pledge can change proximal behaviors, thus improving the ability of eco-tourism operators to help sustain reefs as well as the economic livelihoods of their employees.

Publications

Webler, T. and Jakubowski, K. (2016). Mitigating damaging behaviors of snorkelers to coral reefs in Puerto Rico through a pre-trip media-based intervention, Biological Conservation 197:223–228

Webler, T. and Jakubowski, K. (2013). Characterizing harmful behavior of divers and snorkelers to coral reefs in Puerto Rico through systematic observation and testing the effectiveness of pre-trip media-based interventions: Final Report.  Social and Environmental Research Institute: Greenfield MA.   www.seri-us.org