Tourist carrying capacity as a sustainability management tool for coral reefs in Cano Island Biological Reserve, Costa Rica

The coral reefs along Can similar to o Island are among the best preserved in the Pacific region of Costa Rica. Owing to its biodiversity, various local communities depend on snorkeling and scuba diving tourism as a major source of income. However, tourism at Can similar to o Island is conducted based on a management plan that lacks regulations and guidelines such as carrying capacity (CC). This investigation establishes the CC for scuba diving and snorkeling tourism in Can similar to o Island to prevent further degradation of its coral reef ecosystems. Data were collected during April-May 2016 (transition season) and February-March 2017 (dry season). Dive sites were characterized based on the coverage of fragile species, presence of endangered and endemic species, and occurrence of key ecological processes (reproduction, feeding, or cleaning). Underwater observations were carried out to assess diver contact rates with the reef, and ultimately, CC was estimated for each location and for the entire island. The results showed that northeastern coast of Can similar to o Island reported the highest cover of fragile benthic species (78%). The highest number of endangered species (50%) and occurrence of key ecological processes (67%) were observed in Diablo (dive site). Analyses revealed that divers made most contact with rocky bottoms (32%), mostly through fins (56%) and hands (31%). Among the fragile species, octocorals suffered the most damage (21%), followed by hard corals (16%). The CC for scuba and snorkeling activities was estimated at 162 persons per day (59,130 per year). Although the current annual visitation is below the CC, the capacity per dive site is currently exceeded. As a precaution measure it is recommended that visits per day do not exceed 162 persons and that each site's CC is respected.