Assessing the land- and seascape determinants of recreational diving: Evidence for Portugal's south coast

摘要: Abstract Scuba diving is one of the most popular coastal recreational activities, and few that are allowed in multiple-use marine protected areas. Nevertheless, like many other if excess, it may harm ecosystems their sustainable use. This paper focuses on seascape landscape characteristics associated with existence dive sites, aiming to identify suitable locations along coast potentially reduce environmental pressure (e.g., overcrowding physical damage) existing sites. Logistic regressions were employed model suitability for sites Portuguese south (Algarve), Summer destinations mainland Europe. Results suggest closeness waterlines piers presence rock structures strip important attributes positively influence sites’ existence, whereas beach environment muddy sediments negatively it. In this study, we application a logistic find alternatives explored as quick easily applied management tool. Moreover, useful implementation conservation strategies extended activities.