Differences between protected and unprotected reefs of the western Caribbean in attributes preferred by dive tourists

Tropical marine protected areas (MPAs) may promote conditions that are attr active to dive tourists, but a systematic basis for assessing their effecti veness in this regard is currently lacking. We therefore interviewed 195 di ve tourists in Jamaica to determine which reef attributes they most preferr ed to see on dives. Attributes relating to fishes and other large animals ( 'big fishes','other large animals','variety of fishes','abundance of fishes ', and 'unusual fishes') were more appreciated than those relating to reef structure and benthos ('reef structure e.g., drop-offs', 'variety of corals ','large corals','coral cover','unusual corals', 'sponges', 'unusual algae' , 'lobsters, crabs etc.'). We then surveyed reef condition with regard to t hose aspects (abundance and variety of fishes, number of 'unusual', and num ber of 'large' fish) at four Caribbean MPAs and reference areas. In two cas es, Hol Chan Marine Reserve in Belize and Parque Nacional Punta Frances in Cuba, these fish attributes were more pronounced in the MPAs than in the re ference areas. Differences between the Montego Bay Marine Park in Jamaica ( MBMP) and adjacent reference areas were mainly restricted to shallow sites (<6m), while at Grand Cayman no differences between fully protected and par tially protected areas were detected. Management had not been fully effecti ve in the MBMP in the preceding months, while fishing pressure in the parti ally protected areas on Grand Cayman was very light. We conclude that, if f ishing restrictions are well enforced, western Caribbean MPAs can be expect ed to be effective in ways appreciated by dive tourists.