Community perception of coral reefs in Golfo Dulce: Bases for social integration in restoration programs.

According to the grade, they were classified as informed, medium information or uninformed. The second part was based on perception scales on: (I) visitation, (II) factors that damage coral reefs, (III) management measures, and (IV) health of marine resources in Golfo Dulce. Results: Group T had the highest percentage of informed interviewees = 42 % and group O uninformed = 37 %.

The second part was perception, more than 50 % of PA and T consider that the visit is frequent. Sedimentation and contamination by agrochemicals were identified by more than 60 % of PA and T as the main threat. 35 % of PA and 40 % of T perceive permanent buoys as the best measure for the Golfo Dulce. The visitation restric-tion was the measure with the least acceptance. 60 % of the interviewees of PA and T consider that the marine resources of the gulf will be worse than today.

Conclusions: These results confirm the importance of understading coral reefs users knowledge and perception in participatory and educational processes in coral reef restoration and conservation.