Monitoring MPA visitor uses handbook

Frequency : At least three overflights in summer. Ideally,the flight will be scheduled during the day at a timewhen the boats are fairly immobile (meal times), or inthe evening to assess the number staying overnight. Forreasons of cost and interpretation, but also sound disturbance,multiple overflights should be avoided.Time and cost : An overflight seldom lasts more thanan hour for an average size MPA. The cost of the flightvaries with the type of aircraft used: between €300 and€500 per hour for oblique aerial photographs, and morethan €1,500 per hour for high technology pictures. Thetime required to interpret the photos and record the data(boat location and characteristics) depends on the chosenmedium and level of analysis. In a very busy site(more than 1,000 boats), with a coastline of no morethan 40 kilometres, allow one half-day of work to enterdata in a simple spreadsheet, and a full day to createa layer of geospatial data. In the first case, boats arecounted by mooring or sailing area whereas in the lattercase, they can be identified by area or point by point(one point/one boat). This degree of detail is not alwaysnecessary and takes a lot of time when boat numbersare high.Archiving : Data can be archived in an Excel©-typespreadsheet, or it may be necessary to create a GeographicInformation System of boats for a deeper spatialanalysis.b/ Boat counts by observation from land or atseaThis type of count is easier to implement, less costly andtherefore more reproducible than overflights. However, itis only possible in small MPAs or those with land-basedpanoramic viewpoints overlooking the mooring sites.Data collected : Number and type of boats per mooringarea.Collection method : Boat counts by direct observationwith data recorded by counting area and by type on astructured field report form. A prior study is necessary todelimit the counting sectors, based on geographic anduse criteria, and to define a typology of boats.Defining a typology of boatsThe typology must be simple, reflect the boating practicesspecific to each MPA, and take management issues intoaccount. It will depend on the resolution of photos whencounts are done by overflight, and must not complicateobservation for counts done from land or at sea.Even if the characterization criteria are basic, the dataarchived should at least distinguish pleasure boats fromprofessional craft. Within the category of pleasure boats,sailing boats and motor boats can be distinguished, aswell as personal watercraft and other water vehicles(windsurfs, canoes, kite surfs).It is often interesting to include the length of boats, due tothe impact of large craft anchoring on the sea beds andthe lack of sanitary equipment on the smallest boats.Location : The count must be done at all of the MPA'smooring sites (whether organised or not). It can be donefrom one or more land-based viewpoints or from a boat,in which case the trip must be entirely dedicated to thecount. It will be done by a spotter pilot and a secondperson to report the observations on the form during thetrip.Frequency : At least five counts per summer in comparableconditions, either early afternoon, when boats arerelatively immobile, or in the evening to assess overnightstays. Unlike the overflight method, the counts may bedone in moderate or poor weather conditions and theinfluence of these factors on boat numbers can be measured.Time and cost : The cost depends on the working timespent by staff involved in the operation. The duration ofthe count will depend on the MPA's configuration, thesize of mooring sites and the number of boats. It shouldnot take longer than 90 minutes and be done whenboats are fairly immobile, i.e. early morning, late eveningor early afternoon. To reduce the time spent, it may benecessary to do the count with several boats or fromseveral viewpoints at the same time. Field data captureon a computer storage medium takes less than an hour.Archiving : a simple Excel©-type spreadsheet is recommended. TABLE OF CONTENTS 25 COLLECTION VISITOR USE OBSERVATION AND MONITORING IN MEDITERRANEAN MARINE PROTECTED AREAS