Conserving manatees: Knowledge, attitudes, and intentions of boaters in Tampa Bay, Florida

Boat collisions with manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) account for about one-quarter of manatee deaths annually in Florida. This emphasizes the need to influence boaters' behavior through an understanding of their knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and behavioral intentions toward manatees and their conservation. We conducted a telephone survey of a random sample of boat users whose boats were observed in Tampa Bay, Florida. Five hundred and four boaters completed the survey, a cooperation rate of 55%. Respondents had a mean score of 62 on a 10-question knowledge scale, and supported manatee conservation efforts with a mean score of 3.84 on a 5-point support scale based on seven statements. Boaters indicated more support for increased public education than for stringent regulations such as speed and wake limits in sea grass areas, no-entry areas, or increased patrols. Greater knowledge about manatees was positively correlated with support for manatee conservation. To understand boating behaviors, we used the sociopsychological theory of reasoned action to analyze boaters' disregard for speed zones. Results indicate a strong normative influence on boaters' behavioral intention to follow speed zones, with respondents highly motivated to comply with law enforcement. The survey results provide a basis for recommendations about public communication interventions.