Potential Synergies between Nature-Based Tourism and Sustainable Use of Marine Resources: Insights from Dive Tourism in Territorial User Rights for Fisheries in Chile

Abstract

Novel solutions to conserve biodiversity whilst allowing for resource harvesting are urgently needed. In marine systems, Territorial User Rights for Fisheries (TURFs) are promoted to enable sustainable use of resources. We investigate the potential for synergies between nature-based tourism and TURFs on Chile’s central coast. Of 135 recreational divers surveyed, 77% indicated that the fish species they preferred sighting were declining and 80% indicated that they would dive more often in TURFs, which have higher abundance of favoured species. Regression analysis shows that respondents that perceive that TURFs fulfil a conservation function are more willing to pay to dive in a TURF. However, respondents who understand the bureaucratic functioning of a TURF are less willing to pay, and there is diversity in how divers feel payments should be made. A participatory approach is required to navigate these complexities to achieve synergies between nature-based tourism and resource harvesting in TURFs.

Assessing trade-offs in large marine protected areas

“…Supply-demand trade-offs involving tourism and their consequent disturbance of marine vertebrates have also been observed in smaller MPAs [ 60 , 61 ]. Although tourists appear to have had a limited impact on outcomes in our sample of LMPAs, tourism can be a contributor to conservation [ 62 ], but there are growing concerns about the potential impacts of increases in marine tourism, particularly in remote areas [ 63 ].…”

How Does the Diversity of Divers Affect the Design of Citizen Science Projects?

“…Chile represents an opportunity to test the research question, as it is a country with an extended coastline and a wide variety of divers with different backgrounds who could potentially participate in CS. Despite the diversity and large number of people diving along the Chilean coast (Godoy et al, 2010;Aburto et al, 2013;Biggs et al, 2016), no previous study has used a comparative approach to determine the potential of the different diver types to engage in CS projects.…”

“…There are at least five diver types in Chile (e.g., Godoy et al, 2010Godoy et al, , 2016Biggs et al, 2016): (i) artisanal fishermen, who dive to collect seafood for the market and typically dive with the air supplied directly through a hose from a compressor on the boat (hookah) (Godoy et al, 2016), (ii) spear fishermen, who despite diving without air support (i.e., free dive) spend extensive time underwater and dive to great depths to capture fish recreationally (Godoy et al, 2010) or professionally (Godoy et al, 2016), (iii) recreational SCUBA divers who dive for fun (Biggs et al, 2016), (iv) dive instructors who guide or train other divers, and (v) scientific divers, who have a scientific background or who dive primarily for research. Furthermore, there are commercial or military divers, who are not our target group in this study as their diving activity precludes their potential participation in CS.…”

Scalar Politics and the Co‐Evolution of Social and Ecological Systems in Coastal Southern Chile

“…The three remaining mechanisms are the development of private or communitarian sea farms that primarily cultivate mussels, the regulation of the sharing of the coastal border with the salmon industry (Saavedra ), and the implementation of social services and diversification projects, which mainly involve ecotourism (Gajardo & Ther ; Biggs et al . ).…”

“…MEABRs are conservation entities that regulate mollusc and crustacean extraction in certain areas that are exclusively exploited by artisanal fishermen. The three remaining mechanisms are the development of private or communitarian sea farms that primarily cultivate mussels, the regulation of the sharing of the coastal border with the salmon industry (Saavedra 2015), and the implementation of social services and diversification projects, which mainly involve ecotourism (Gajardo & Ther 2011;Biggs et al 2016). Generally, those new sources of income are socially perceived as being environmentally friendly and, therefore, compatible with sustainable strategies for coastal development.…”