Journal of Sustainable Tourism
Editors: Bill Bramwell (Sheffield Hallam University) and Bernard Lane (Visiting Research Fellow, Sheffield Hallam University)
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Volume: 6 Number: 2 Page: 143–154
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Using the Sorensen Network to Assess the Potential Effects of Ecotourism on Two Australian Marine Environments
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Sally-Anne Mason and Susan A. Moore
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In the marine environment ecotourism, like any human activity, has effects. Identifying such effects is essential otherwise they cannot be minimised through management. This paper reports on the development
and application of the Ecotourism Sorensen Network to identify potential effects of ecotourism activities in two marine environments of northwestern Australia- Ningaloo Reef and surrounds of Legendre Island,
part of the Dampier Archipelago. Most of the effects identified could potentially occur in both study areas. More of these potential effects were negative than positive, with most of the latter being sociocultural
and economic and the former predominantly biophysical. Those most likely to occur and to be the most significant were negative biophysical effects, especially damage to marine biota,and negative Aboriginal
effects. For Ningaloo, overcrowding was also a significant negative effect while at Legendre possible future conflict with the planned industrial port was significant. The Ecotourism Sorensen Network provided
a useful mechanism for describing the potential effects of ecotourism activities on marine environments. It also allowed analysis of the similarities and differences in effects between study areas, the
likelihood of effects occurring and their significance. This analytic approach could be readily and usefully applied to marine-based ecotourism elsewhere in the world.
© Channel View Publications 1997
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