U.S. Virgin Islands Residents’ Knowledge of, Attitudes Toward, and Perceptions of Coral Reefs and Coral Reef Management

This study was conducted for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coral Reef Conservation Program to determine U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) residents’ knowledge of, attitudes toward, and perceptions of coral reefs and coral reef management. The study entailed a scientific dual-mode survey administered by telephone and through in-person surveys conducted on site in the Virgin Islands (the latter survey method was implemented to account for the high proportion of U.S. Virgin Islands residents without functioning telephones). In total, 1,188 completed interviews were obtained through telephone and in person modes (436 in St. Thomas, 362 in St. John, and 390 in St. Croix). Survey interviews were conducted in both English and Spanish.

Among other topics, the survey delved into residents’ opinions on the importance of coral reefs as protection from coastal erosion and natural disasters, as a source of food, and culturally. The top-ranked aspect is the cultural importance: an overwhelming majority agree that coral reefs are important to their island’s culture (92%). Just below that are the provision of food and protection aspects: a large majority agree that coral reefs in good condition provide food for island communities to eat (81%) and that coral reefs protect the USVI from coastal erosion and natural disasters (also 81%).

The survey also asked about the condition of the islands’ natural resources. The ocean water quality has a much higher percentage of residents rating it good or very good (69%) than bad or very bad (7%). All other aspects of the natural resources are not rated as highly. The number of fish (47% giving an overall good rating; 16% giving an overall bad rating), the amount of coral and invertebrates (29% to 18%), and the health of the coral (25% to 25%) are in the middle. The worst ratings are for the amount of marine debris and trash, where bad ratings exceed good ratings (only 29% rate it on the good side, while 40% rate it on the bad side).

Residents were also asked to rate the trend in those same items—in other words, if they got worse or better over the past 10 years. For all items except one (ocean water quality), a greater percentage of residents think the condition got worse than think the condition got better. The greatest disparity shows up in the ratings of the number of fish (16% say it got better, compared to 36% who say it got worse—a difference of 20 percentage points) and the health of the coral (14% better, 34% worse—also a difference of 20 points). Another question asked residents to say what they think will happen in the next 10 years, and they fall out roughly into thirds: 34% say the condition of marine resources in the islands will get worse, 37% say the condition will improve, and 28% give a neutral or “not sure” response.

Other topics covered in the survey include threats to coral reefs; marine protected areas; coral reef management strategies and enforcement; sources of information about coral reefs; participation in behaviors that may improve coral health; participation in reef recreational activities; and consumption of seafood.