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ICES Journal of Marine Science: Journal du Conseil Advance Access originally published online on February 17, 2009
ICES Journal of Marine Science: Journal du Conseil 2009 66(3):517-523; doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsp020
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© 2009 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. Published by Oxford Journals. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Benthic impacts of recreational divers in a Mediterranean Marine Protected Area

Beatriz Luna, Carlos Valle Pérez and Jose Luis Sánchez-Lizaso

Department of Marine Science and Applied Biology, University of Alicante, PO Box 99 E-03080, Alicante, Spain

Correspondence to B. Luna: tel.: +34 96590 3400 ext. 2916; fax: +34 96590 9840; e-mail: beatriz.luna{at}ua.es.

Luna, B., Valle Pérez, C., and Sánchez-Lizaso, J. L. 2009. Benthic impacts of recreational divers in a Mediterranean Marine Protected Area. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66: 517–523.

The features of many Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have increased scuba diving tourism in these areas. Impacts caused by recreational scuba activity vary widely among different divers with differing underwater behaviour. We studied diver underwater behaviour, the effects on the natural environment, and the characteristics that may influence diver behaviour. In all, 181 recreational divers were followed, and contacts and the effects produced were recorded. Information on diver profile and dive features was recorded. Field sampling revealed that 175 of the divers observed (96.7%) made at least one contact with the seabed, with a mean contact of 41.20 ± 3.55 (mean ± s.e.) per diver per 10 min. Flapping was the most frequent type of contact, and the main damage by this action was to raise sediment. Contact with the seabed was greater for males than for females, inexperienced divers than for experienced divers, camera or lantern (dive light) users than for non-users, and divers unaccompanied by a dive leader or who had not been briefed about avoiding seabed contact before undertaking a dive than for accompanied or briefed divers. A greater understanding of the causes of harmful behaviour may be useful for stricter management, reducing diving damage and assuring the sustainability of this activity in MPAs.

Keywords: diver damage, management of scuba diving, Marine Protected Area, MPA, recreational impact

Received 8 April 2008; accepted 10 January 2009; advance access publication 17 February 2009.


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