1. University of Puerto Rico
Río Piedras Campus
College of Natural Sciences
Department of Environmental Sciences
Assessment on recreational uses and
potential impacts to coastal resources
in Puerto Rico
Wilmer O. Rivera & Keyla Soto
Course: Coastal Environments
Prof. Loretta Roberson, Ph.D.
October 25, 2012

2. Background
 Puerto Rico has valuable coastal areas
with high recreational activities.
 Recreational activities can generate
many impacts on coastal resources.
(Cicin & Knecht, 1998; Defeo, 2009).
 We need more information of the
possible impacts that these activities can
generate.
 Is important to develop environmental
assessments in order to evaluated the
possible impacts associated with this
activities.

4. Distribution for regions of public beaches in
Puerto Rico.
Inventory of public beaches - DRNA

5. Problem
What are the possible impacts associated with the
recreational activities in various high value
recreational beaches in Puerto Rico?

6. Goals & Objectives
Goals
Developing an effective assessment’s method
in order to evaluate the possible impacts that
can be generated on coastal resources.
Objectives
a. Identify areas in Puerto Rico where
recreational activities are performed and
describe the type of activity that takes place
in these areas.
b. Determine potential impacts on coastal
resources recreational product.
c. Establish effective management strategies to
minimize the impact on based coastal
resource assessment performed.

7. Program Dimensions & Pottencial Beneffits
School &
Comunnites
College
Program students
Assesment (Natural &
Focus
Social
Sciences
Experts-
Integrative
disciplines

8. Methodology – First year
Characterization of sampled area
- Identify recreational type activities that are
carried out in the coastal areas identified.
- Field visits
a) Interviews and surveys
- Photos and audiovisual resources
a) Business (kiosks, bars, restaurants)
b) Personal
c) Companies
- Monitor the development of recreational activities
a) Count of maritime transport (Boats, Aquatic motor)
b) Number of people using the beach in different periods
- Apply GIS methods and "remote sensing" to identify coastal areas in PR
a) Characterization of marine ecosystems in the area.
b) Identification of habitats and critical habitats.
1) Turtle nesting areas.
2) Seagrass meadow
3) Areas of coral
4) Mangrove Areas

9. Phase I- North Experimental & Control Zone
Balneario de Carolina
Marchiquita - Manatí
Cerro Gordo, Vega Alta x

10. Phase I- West Experimental & Control Zone
Playa de Crash Boat
Moja Casabe- Cabo Rojo
Balneario de Boquerón

11. Methodology – Second year
I. Health conditions of organisms in the areas studied and possible risks in the
short and long term.
A. Assessment of the impacts of recreational activities:
1. Degradation of habitats
a) Scars on areas of coral and seagrass beds.
b) Mortality in coral reef areas
c) Alteration of nesting areas
2. Direct impacts to organisms- Ex. (Manatees)
B. Water quality sampling in different periods (before and after)
a) Microbiological analysis (total and fecal coliforms)
b) Analysis of heavy metals and organic matter (ICP, FLAAS)
c) pH and dissolved oxygen (sensors)
d) Inadequate management of solid wastes
e) Identify the most common solid waste in these areas
f) Quantify the amount of solid waste per area
II. Based on the information gathered by the assessment

12. Phase I-Budget
Cost Activity
14,000-Annual stipends to school teachers Field works, coordination on school
and college volunteers students and participation in workshops.
10,700-Initial orientations on college Trainings focus on the programs goals,
volunteers, summer internship and the importance of conservation and
saturdays academies management in coastal resources, GIS
a. Logistic applications and data collection in the
b. Speakers field.
c. Food
3,500-Specialist support GIS technician and qualitative statistic to
help in the confection of descriptive maps
and data analysis of the questionnaires
and interviews.
7,000- Administrative secretary Work on documents and organization of
official files of the program.
3,500-Materials and equipment Data collection in the field and didactic
materials to the workshops.
1st YEAR BUDGET= $38,700

13. Phase II-Budget
Cost Activity
14,000-Annual stipends to school Field works, coordination on school students
teachers and college volunteers and participation in workshops.
10,700- Workshop to college Trainings focus in the protocol about
volunteers, summer internship and microbiology and chemistry parameters and
field trip. data collection in the field.
a. Speakers
b. Food
3,500-Specialist support Quantitative statistic to help in the data
analysis of the samples.
7,000- Administrative secretary Work on documents and organization of
official files of the program.
4,000-Materials and equipment Data collection in the field and analysis of
samples. Analytical instrumentation
2st YEAR BUDGET= $ 39,200 Total= 77,900 for two years

14. Recomendations