Recreational scuba diving in Caribbean Marine Protected Areas: do the users pay?

There are more than 200 marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Caribbean and Central America that contain coral reefs and are therefore theoretically attractive to scuba divers. This study surveyed one fifth of dive operators in 30 countries for their use of MPAs. Key findings were: the majority are located within 20 km of at least one MPA46% conduct at least 80% of their diving within a MPAAn estimated 15 million dives take place outside of Florida each year, half of these occurring inside MPAsOnly 25% of MPAs containing coral reefs charge divers an entry or user fee, which is most usually USD 2–3 levied per dive or per diverThe revenue generated by these fees is estimated at USD 1–2 million annually, but the potential for generating income has not been fully realized.The authors ask why a minority of MPAs are charging user fees when diver usage of these areas is so high. They state that willingness to pay fees by dive tourists does not seem to be an issue elsewhere. They posit that reasons for the lack of user fees might be the costs of introducing and maintaining a fee collection system, and, in some areas, political or socio-economic factors may be at play. However, they argue, dive tourism in the region is growing and the theoretical recreational carrying capacity of many MPAs being reached, while most MPAs are suffering from significant shortfalls in financial resources.The authors conclude that successful models where users pay for the majority of conservation costs in the MPAs of Saba, Bonaire and the British Virgin Islands, should be copied throughout the region. Diver willingness to pay should be turned into higher fees that could significantly contribute to regional conservation.[Adapted from authors]