Demographics, attitudes, and reef management preferences of sport divers in offshore Texas waters

Abstract

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has created artificial reefs to enhance sport-diving opportunities since 1989. Administrators see the need to site reefs dependent on area-specific human population and tourism densities and the demand for sport-diving resources. This requires an understanding of the sport-diver constituency and their particular interests and needs. In 1997, we surveyed sport divers using a mail questionnaire. Because of difficulties involved in establishing a sampling frame of saltwater divers, the study focused on divers who used dive charter boats to go diving offshore in the previous 12 months (n=1057). A response rate of 56% was achieved. On average, respondents went diving for 20 days in the previous 12 months. Most reported scuba diving is their most important outdoor recreation activity. The majority preferred to dive at depths ranging between 60 and 89 feet and preferred large naval vessels and rig jackets and other oil production structures as their materials-of-choice for future reef deployment. Results are useful for evaluating artificial reefs available in offshore Texas waters as well as input for future reef development. © 2002 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.