Need information on carrying capacity

Greg Challenger GChallenger at msn.com
Fri Feb 7 12:43:32 EST 2003


I agree with Mark.
Correlation is not causation, although I don't recall that it was suggest=
ed.  It stands to reason that mooring buoys are purposely placed in areas=
 that appear to be the most diverse and interesting for divers.  Some del=
ving into historical data regarding both the reef and the time since buoy=
 placement at each site, as well as continued monitoring of buoy and cont=
rol sites may be necessary to make further inferences.

In reference to sewage treatment criterion.  I think diver carrying capac=
ity can be viewed in the context of other pressures.  A reef has an overa=
ll carrying capacity, which we may define as a point beyond which communi=
ty indices are adversely affected in a measurable or observable way.  Div=
er carrying capacity alone could vary depending on other stressors.  Land=
 use, point source pollution and others may stress a reef such that diver=
 influences may be more readily observable.  This would be a difficult pr=
emise for which to design an experiment. I can think of one, but it would=
 cost boatloads of dough. =20

Waste water treatment as the only factor determinant in carrying capacity=
 is too simplistic, but I believe Pedro was just making a point.  Diver c=
arrying capacity at each site likely varies.  This is logical given the d=
ynamic and varying ecological indices and anthropogenic factors between a=
nd among reefs. =20
----- Original Message -----
From: GJ Gast
Sent: Friday, February 07, 2003 8:24 AM
To: Duncan MacRae; coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
Subject: Re: Need information on carrying capacity

Dear Duncan,

1. Does this mean that building more sewage treatment plants gives =20
coral reefs a higher carrying capacity for tourism?

2. There are no sewage treatment plants on Bonaire. So the allowed =20
number of tourist must be set on zero?

I understand that divers carrying capacity is a complicated issue =20
with many varying aspects and that it is hard to come to generally =20
applicable figures. The least one can do is to use the precautionary =20
principle, which in this case means staying way within known safe =20
limits. Using wastewater treatment as a criterium is definately much =20
too simplistic. On the contrary, the wastewater treatment capacity =20
should follow the numbers of tourists and local people. If only that =20
would become reality....

Best wishes, GJ.

On 7 Feb 2003, at 6:53, Duncan MacRae wrote:

> Dear Pedro,
> =20
> I did an extensive study on carrying capacity on Bonaire last year (as
> yet unpublished). I looked at 40 sites and the amount of damage around
> the mooring buoys. Some sites had in excess of 25000 divers visiting
> them and showed far higher diversity and greater 'health' than other
> sites with very few divers. If you would like to know more, do not
> hesitate to contact me.
> =20
> I suggest that you are very careful using diver numbers as a
> management tool, it has tended to open up a large can of worms. Better
> would be the number of tourists that the local wastewater treatment
> plants of the area can handle.....
> =20
> Regards,
> =20
> Duncan R. MacRae
> =20
> =20
> =20
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Pedro Alcolado" <alcolado at ama.cu>
> To: <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
> Sent: Tuesday, January 28, 2003 10:32 PM
> Subject: Need information on carrying capacity
> =20
> =20
> > Dear Coral lister,
> >
> > I need to get information about other papers than Hawskin's and
> > Roberts' =3D (1997) about carrying capacity in coral reef diving. I a=
m
> > participating =3D in the elaboration of tourist diving regulations,
> > and so far I have =3D Haskin's and Roberts' figures of 5000-6000
> > divers/site/year. I think it =3D would be good a figure for begining
> > that could be revised an adjusted =3D after subsequent monitoring, bu=
t
> > I would like to know about other =3D alternative numbers. I would
> > appreciate to receive that information, as =3D well as any relevant
> > comment on the issue.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Pedro
> >
> > ~~~~~~~
> > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the
> > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html
> > .
> >
> >
> =20
> ~~~~~~~
> For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the
> digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html .
> =20

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Dr Gert Jan Gast
Seas and Oceans Campaigner, Greenpeace Netherlands
Keizersgracht 174, 1016DW Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Phone +31 20 5236655
Mobile +31 6 5206 2976
Fax +31 20 6221272

~~~~~~~
For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the
digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html .

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Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<HTML><BODY STYLE=3D"font:10pt verdana; border:none;"><DIV> <DIV>I agree =
with Mark.</DIV> <DIV>Correlation is not causation, although I don't reca=
ll that it was suggested.&nbsp; It stands to reason that mooring buoys ar=
e purposely placed in areas that appear to be the most diverse and intere=
sting for divers.&nbsp; Some delving into historical data regarding both =
the reef and the time since buoy placement at each site, as well as conti=
nued monitoring of buoy and control sites may be necessary to make furthe=
r inferences.</DIV> <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV>In reference to sewage treatme=
nt criterion.&nbsp; I think&nbsp;diver carrying capacity can be viewed in=
 the context of other pressures.&nbsp; A reef has an overall carrying cap=
acity, which&nbsp;we may define&nbsp;as&nbsp;a&nbsp;point beyond which co=
mmunity indices are adversely affected in a measurable or observable way.=
&nbsp; Diver carrying capacity alone could vary depending on other stress=
ors.&nbsp; Land use, point source pollution and others may stress a reef =
such that diver influences may be more readily observable.&nbsp; This wou=
ld be a difficult premise for which to design an experiment. I can think =
of one, but it would cost boatloads of dough. </DIV> <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV> <D=
IV>Waste water treatment as the only factor determinant in carrying capac=
ity is&nbsp;too simplistic, but I believe Pedro was just making a point.&=
nbsp; Diver carrying capacity at each site likely varies.&nbsp; This is l=
ogical given the dynamic and varying ecological&nbsp;indices and anthropo=
genic factors&nbsp;between and among reefs. </DIV></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE styl=
e=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT=
: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt Arial">=
----- Original Message -----</DIV> <DIV style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FON=
T: 10pt Arial; COLOR: black"><B>From:</B> GJ Gast</DIV> <DIV style=3D"FON=
T: 10pt Arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, February 07, 2003 8:24 AM</DIV> <DIV =
style=3D"FONT: 10pt Arial"><B>To:</B> Duncan MacRae; coral-list at coral.aom=
l.noaa.gov</DIV> <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt Arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Need=
 information on carrying capacity</DIV> <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>Dear Duncan,<BR>=
<BR>1. Does this mean that building more sewage treatment plants gives <B=
R>coral reefs a higher carrying capacity for tourism?<BR><BR>2. There are=
 no sewage treatment plants on Bonaire. So the allowed <BR>number of tour=
ist must be set on zero?<BR><BR>I understand that divers carrying capacit=
y is a complicated issue <BR>with many varying aspects and that it is har=
d to come to generally <BR>applicable figures. The least one can do is to=
 use the precautionary <BR>principle, which in this case means staying wa=
y within known safe <BR>limits. Using wastewater treatment as a criterium=
 is definately much <BR>too simplistic. On the contrary, the wastewater t=
reatment capacity <BR>should follow the numbers of tourists and local peo=
ple. If only that <BR>would become reality....<BR><BR>Best wishes, GJ.<BR=
><BR>On 7 Feb 2003, at 6:53, Duncan MacRae wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Dear Pedro,=
<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; I did an extensive study on carrying capacity on Bonair=
e last year (as<BR>&gt; yet unpublished). I looked at 40 sites and the am=
ount of damage around<BR>&gt; the mooring buoys. Some sites had in excess=
 of 25000 divers visiting<BR>&gt; them and showed far higher diversity an=
d greater 'health' than other<BR>&gt; sites with very few divers. If you =
would like to know more, do not<BR>&gt; hesitate to contact me.<BR>&gt; <=
BR>&gt; I suggest that you are very careful using diver numbers as a<BR>&=
gt; management tool, it has tended to open up a large can of worms. Bette=
r<BR>&gt; would be the number of tourists that the local wastewater treat=
ment<BR>&gt; plants of the area can handle.....<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Regards,=
<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Duncan R. MacRae<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; ---=
-- Original Message -----<BR>&gt; From: "Pedro Alcolado" &lt;alcolado at ama=
.cu&gt;<BR>&gt; To: &lt;coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov&gt;<BR>&gt; Sent: =
Tuesday, January 28, 2003 10:32 PM<BR>&gt; Subject: Need information on c=
arrying capacity<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; &gt; Dear Coral lister,<BR>&gt=
; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; I need to get information about other papers than Haw=
skin's and<BR>&gt; &gt; Roberts' =3D (1997) about carrying capacity in co=
ral reef diving. I am<BR>&gt; &gt; participating =3D in the elaboration o=
f tourist diving regulations,<BR>&gt; &gt; and so far I have =3D Haskin's=
 and Roberts' figures of 5000-6000<BR>&gt; &gt; divers/site/year. I think=
 it =3D would be good a figure for begining<BR>&gt; &gt; that could be re=
vised an adjusted =3D after subsequent monitoring, but<BR>&gt; &gt; I wou=
ld like to know about other =3D alternative numbers. I would<BR>&gt; &gt;=
 appreciate to receive that information, as =3D well as any relevant<BR>&=
gt; &gt; comment on the issue.<BR>&gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; Cheers,<BR>&gt; =
&gt; Pedro<BR>&gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; ~~~~~~~<BR>&gt; &gt; For directions =
on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the<BR>&gt; &gt; digest=
s, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html<BR>&gt; &gt=
; .<BR>&gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; ~~~~~~~<BR>&gt; For direct=
ions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the<BR>&gt; digest=
s, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html .<BR>&gt; <=
BR><BR><BR>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D<BR>Dr Gert Jan Gast<BR>Seas and Oceans =
Campaigner, Greenpeace Netherlands<BR>Keizersgracht 174, 1016DW Amsterdam=
, The Netherlands<BR>Phone +31 20 5236655<BR>Mobile +31 6 5206 2976<BR>Fa=
x +31 20 6221272<BR><BR>~~~~~~~<BR>For directions on subscribing and unsu=
bscribing to coral-list or the<BR>digests, please see http://www.coral.no=
aa.gov/lists/coral-list.html .<BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>

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digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html .



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