This does not mean that existing management strategies for Surin are ineffective. It does mean that circumstances have changed and that existing management emphasis may not be appropriately targeted to address these changing circumstances.
Since management issues at Surin are largely user related, the importance of an effective communication program of management objectives, strategies and approaches is needed to enlist the support of users. To improve the management effort, it seems necessary to review the management plan to take into account the changed permitted use, but also to interpret and present the plan to users of the park. Of all the management approaches identified in the plan, the zoning plan is the one in urgent need of review because of the declining condition of reefs and increasing demand of visitors. Recently, Surin has applied a clarified mooring system to better identify use areas. The mooring system has the additional benefit of limiting the number of visitors in each area at any one time. Areas with higher conservation values have fewer buoys than recreation areas. Sites with mooring buoys have shown improvement in live coral coverage. However, since this research covers only one year, additional studies on the benefit of the mooring system, and the perception and behaviour of visitors on management approaches are recommended.