Understanding Diver Motivation and Specialization for Improved Scuba Management

This study explores diver motivations in the Azores in relationship to demographic variables and level of specialization, based on a survey of 425 divers in five of the nine islands. Using cluster and principal components analysis, four diver clusters were distinguished: socializers, shark and manta divers, biodiversity seekers, and explorer divers. Social aspects of diving were important to both generalists and specialists, and the importance of underwater fauna did not increase with specialization. Divers' cultural background affected their motivations. The Azores archipelago, an emerging nontropical diving destination, featuring diving with large iconic species including sharks and manta rays, has a higher proportion of specialized divers than reported in other diving destinations and may receive divers displaced from increasingly degraded tropical reefs. Findings highlight the importance of understanding diver motivations and developing diver awareness programs at all stages of specialization, as well as an integrated management strategy.