Files and links (2)
Published (Version of record)CC BY-NC-ND V4.0, Open Access
Published (Version of record)CC BY-NC-ND V4.0, Open
Journal article
Scuba divers, coral reefs, and knowledge of ocean acidification
Marine policy, Vol.155, 105779
09/2023
Metrics
39 File views/ downloads
27 Record Views
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
Source: InCites
Abstract
Ocean acidification (OA) poses a threat to coral reefs by increasing the fragility of susceptible corals to physical damage. As such, the impacts of dive tourism are likely to be exacerbated under acidified conditions. While evidence exists on the impacts of OA, research is scant on scuba divers’ knowledge of OA. The present study explored scuba divers (N = 75) awareness of threats to coral reefs, and factors which are important to the dive experience via an online survey. Responses revealed participants were least aware of OA than other threats to coral reefs. Almost half the participants had a basic understanding of OA, but a high level of concern about its impacts, highlighting an education opportunity for these already ‘concerned’ divers. Factors important to their dive experience included sites being located in a marine protected area / managed for conservation, and high diversity of coral with good quality and minimal disturbance. The findings indicated there are economic opportunities associated with good environmental management at coral reef dive sites, including through preferential site selection and willingness to pay a conservation levy. Recommendations for OA education and awareness initiatives and other regulatory and non-regulatory management strategies are discussed.
Details
- Title
- Scuba divers, coral reefs, and knowledge of ocean acidification
- Creators
- Kirin Apps - Southern Cross UniversityElizabeth Heagney - Southern Cross UniversityQuach Thi Khanh Ngoc - Nha Trang UniversityKay Dimmock - Southern Cross UniversityKirsten Benkendorff - Southern Cross University
- Publication Details
- Marine policy, Vol.155, 105779
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Grant note
- This research was funded by the Asia Pacific Network for Global Change Research grant number CRRP2019-05MY-Benkendorff.
- Identifiers
- 991013133612702368
- Copyright
- © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
- Academic Unit
- Science; National Marine Science Centre; Faculty of Science and Engineering; Faculty of Business, Law and Arts
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article