Assessment of the support capacity of visitation at Itacuruçá/Pereirinha Beach - Cardoso Island State Park (SP, Brazil)

Abstract

Ecotourism activities in Brazilian Conservation Units (UC) follow the National System of Conservation Units (SNUC) criteria and other relevant standards, recommending local communities’ participation in public visitation. Aiming for the monitoring and visitation control of Pereirinha/Itacuruçá Beach, located on the island of Cardoso State Park (PEIC), Cananéia, SP, an Action Plan was established based on pre-established indicators. This study aims to present this planning, its implementation process, and its preliminary results. The monitoring evaluation expresses the perception of PEIC managers, autonomous environmental monitors, and the traditional community obtained through structured questionnaires. During planning, twelve monitoring indicators were established in three categories: (i) beach visitation, (ii) the maritime sector, and (iii) the perception of the segments regarding the Benchmark Number of Visits (BNV). Based on the results of the indicators, an Action Plan for monitoring and controlling visitation on the beach was prepared, adopting the following mechanisms: (i) guidance to visitors on the beach; (ii) registration of vessels and visitors on the beach; and (iii) maximum capacity reached. We conclude that the BNV to Itacuruçá/Pereirinha Beach is efficient, considering the actual operating conditions of PEIC, having a positive perception by most of the interviewees. The number of daily visitations could be updated by improving the structure of the maritime sector and the emissive visitor areas in Cananéia, SP. However, the new organization should consider technical and scientific information, reflecting the indications of interviews by improving environmental quality and the satisfaction of visitors and local receptive segments (local traditional community and environmental monitors) and the nautical tourism sector.