A view of the perception of recreational divers on the coast of Paraíba (Brazil)

• Autor(a) principal: França, Jéssica Maria Pereira de Souza
• Data de Publicação: 2021
• Outros Autores: Lima, Mônica da Costa, Mariano, Erich de Freitas
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Revista Brasileira de Ecoturismo
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.unifesp.br/index.php/ecoturismo/article/view/10765
• topic: Ecosystem; Impacts; Environmental Education; Coral Reefs; Ecossistemas; Impactos; Educação Ambiental; Recifes de Corais

The rapid growth in the number of divers at reef ecosystems in a poorly planned manner has caused serious environmental impacts. The present study analyzed the environmental perception of divers about reef ecosystems and their diving activities. We then aim to know/identify and preliminarily analyze the environmental perception of recreational divers regarding variables that can cause negative environmental impacts on reef ecosystems at the main diving points on the coast of Paraíba (Brazil). For the collection of data, specific questionnaires were applied involving objective and discursive questions passed on through different media destined to scuba divers from the region. In view of the results obtained, it was possible to know the profile of divers from the coast of Paraiba, observing what attracts them, their conceptions about the care for marine life, activities they perform during dives, how they arrive at the places, actions to minimize damage to the environment and ways to acquire information about proper care. Most respondents are aware of the care that should be taken in their activities, which appears to be related to the high levels of education observed. Despite the evidenced environmental perception, there are few educational and informative practices on caring of marine environments in the studied region. Although part of the divers is aware of the care that must be taken, it was possible to observe that these were mostly acquired on their own and this highlights the need for educational measures. Therefore, knowledge about environmental perception can be important for measures aimed at sustainable tourism and conservation of diverse ecosystems.