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Abstract |
Globally, coral reefs play various important roles. Despite only occupying ~0.2% of the surface of the ocean, coral reefs are home to diverse species, provide ecosystem services and generate income for millions of people (Cesar et al., 2003). Approximately 18% of all coral reef habitats are in marine protected areas. While marine protected area management commonly seeks to balance conservation and human use, there are ongoing concerns about human activity impacts, including recreational uses like snorkelling. The World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef Marine Park, in northern Western Australia, receives approximately 179,000 visitors annually, with snorkelling rated as the most important and popular recreational activity in the Marine Park (Jones et al., 2011). Although snorkelling is generally considered a low-impact activity, growing evidence suggests that certain behaviours, including fin kicks, brushes, grabs, and sitting, standing or kneeling on corals, may damage coral colonies, which are slow to recover (Webler & Jakubowski, 2016). While previous studies looked at how snorkellers impact Ningaloo Reef, few have looked at behavioural drivers to understand why. |
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