Water-based Activities Research Articles

Prioritising preventive measures for unintentional sport and recreation-related deaths in Québec, Canada, based on a 14-year review

ObjectivesThis study analysed sport and recreation-related fatalities in Québec, Canada, from January 2006 to December 2019, focusing on the six activities with the highest mortality frequencies. It aimed to identify...

Use of Natural Areas among Latinxs Living in South Carolina

The Latinx population in the United States (US) is growing. While Latinxs have historically been present in US cities and southwestern states, there is a notable surge in migration to new destination states, including South Carolina (SC). As the Latinx population grows and extends to new geographies, there is a need to examine the evolution of Latinxs’ outdoor recreation patterns. Exploring their changing preferences regarding public spaces can inform park management planning and policy. This study examines outdoor recreation use among SC-based Latinxs, exploring three central questions: 1. What are the outdoor recreation preferences among Latinxs living in SC? 2. What constraints do Latinxs face while engaging in outdoor recreation? 3. What are Latinxs’ primary motivations in visiting natural areas? This study employs a convergent parallel mixed method design. The quantitative phase consists of a cross-sectional sampling approach via online surveys, while the qualitative phase utilizes focus groups. Analyses of survey results include descrip-tive statistics and ANOVA and Chi-square tests for select variables. Qualitative analyses are based on a priori open coding with thematic development. Quantitative and qualitative data were first examined separately and later compared. Results suggest that walking/hiking is the primary outdoor recreation activity in which Latinxs engage. Focus-group participants also mentioned a variety of land- and water-based outdoor recreation activities. The most prevalent motivations for recreation experiences included relaxation, escape, and improved health. The top five factors preventing survey respondents from visiting natural areas were tiredness after work, insufficient time off work, insufficient time and money to visit natural areas, and proximity to natural areas. Focus group participants also reported various constraints hindering their visits to natural areas, including time, cost, safety, inadequate on-site amenities, weather, and Latinx-specific constraints. The findings indicate that natural resource agencies wanting to improve Latinx outdoor recreation experiences should have bilingual front-line staff and provide communicative media, such as website information or on-site signage, in Spanish. Our findings also underscore the importance of Latinx-focused social media groups as useful tools for disseminating information.

Physical activity cut-points for older adults using the Zio XT onboard accelerometer

IntroductionThe Zio® XT continuous ambulatory electrocardiographic monitor (Zio) contains an accelerometer that can help quantify an individual’s physical activity in the free-living environment.Purpose(1) To estimate activity cut-points to estimate daily time spent performing very light, light, or moderate to vigorous physical activity (VLIPA, LIPA, MVPA) for the Zio accelerometer. (2) To describe how Zio’s 24-h wear protocol affects estimates of daily MVPA relative to a waist-worn accelerometer’s waking-wear protocol.MethodsThree hundred eighty one participants from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study wore a waist-mounted ActiGraph GT3X (except while sleeping or water-based activities) and a Zio (24-h) simultaneously for three to seven days. For each person-minute, physical activity was summarized as the Mean Amplitude Deviation (MAD) for the Zio and Vector Magnitude Counts (VMC) for the GT3X. Cut points previously used in ARIC were mapped from GT3X VMC to Zio MAD using a conditional two-sample quantile–quantile approach.ResultsEvenson VMC cut-points for the GT3X (VLIPA≥76, LIPA≥903, MVPA≥2075 counts/min) were mapped to MAD for Zio (9.04, 28.2, and 58.1 mili-g). Daily hours spent in each intensity category were each strongly correlated (ICC > 0.7) between summaries produced by Zio and GT3X when restricting estimates to overlapping wear time. Zio and GT3X-estimated MVPA had high agreement (ICC = 0.77) when using device-specific wear time, but Zio measured one hour more of daily LIPA and VLIPA (95% CI = 0.83, 1.07 hrs/day).ConclusionsWe recommend the use of our cut-points for clinical research with Zio accelerometry in populations of older adults.

Determination of prevalence, risk factors and symptoms of urinary schistosomiasis among school children in Kaduna South Local Government Area, Kaduna State

Schistosomiasis negatively impacts children’s health. Children expose themselves daily to schistosome infections due to lack of awareness and knowledge about the disease or the danger of infested water bodies. This study was aimed at determining the prevalence, risk factors and symptoms of urinary schistosomiasis among school children in Kaduna South Local Government Area, Kaduna State, Nigeria. Four hundred (400) consented school children submitted 10mL urine each and responded to structured questionnaires. Sediment of each urine sample was examined by light microscopy, after centrifugation at 3000 rpm for 5 min. Overall prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis was 4.5%. Both male and female children were equally infected (4.5% each). Older children between 13-17 years old were more infected (5.0%) and more at risk (OR = 2.982) than younger children (8-12 years old) who had 1.7% of the infection. No infection was recorded among children who had awareness about the disease. Water-based activities that served as significant risk factors for the infection included swimming in river (8.7%, P=0.016, OR= 3.064), fishing (12.2%, P=0.005, OR=3.942) and washing of clothes in river (17.4%, P=0.002, OR=5.459). Significant symptoms of urinary schistosomiasis identified were frequent urination (12.5%, P=0.023, OR=3.612), abdominal pain (10.0%, P=0.045, OR=2.880), and terminal haematuria (13.6%, P=0.002, OR=4.526). Infected individuals were more at risk of experiencing pains during urination (7.4%, OR=2.047). Unawareness promotes the spread of schistosomiasis among Nigerian children; their continuous exposure to infested water poses a greater risk. Creation of awareness amongst children will help to control their play habits in unsafe water bodies.

An Ecological and Neural Argument for Developing Pursuit-Based Cognitive Enrichment for Sea Lions in Human Care.

While general enrichment strategies for captive animals attempt to elicit variable and species-typical behaviors, approaches to cognitive enrichment have been disappointingly one-size-fits-all. In this commentary, we address the potential benefit of tailoring cognitive enrichment to the "cognitive niche" of the species, with a particular focus on a reasonably well-studied marine carnivore, the sea lion. Sea lions likely share some cognitive evolutionary pressures with primates, including complex social behavior. Their foraging ecology, however, like that of many terrestrial carnivores, is based on the rapid and behaviorally flexible pursuit of avoidant prey. Unlike terrestrial carnivores, sea lions carry out this pursuit in a truly fluid three-dimensional field, computing and executing sensorimotor transformations from any solid angle to any other. The cognitive demands of flexible prey pursuit are unlikely to be fully elicited by typical stationary puzzle box style foraging enrichment devices or screen-based interactive games. With this species, we recommend exploring more water-based movement activities generally, and complex pursuit challenges specifically.

Nilai Ekonomi Objek Taman Wisata Sungai Mudal Menggunakan Metode Individual Travel Cost Method

The Sungai Mudal Tourism Park is situated in Banyunganti Hamlet, Jatimulyo Village, Girimulyo District, Kulon Progo Regency. This destination showcases ecotourism, emphasizing the natural beauty of the Menoreh mountains and water-based activities as its primary attractions. This study aims to analyze tourist characteristics and determine the potential economic value of Mudal River's natural allure. The potential economic value is calculated via consumer surplus using the Individual Travel Cost Method (ITCM). Tourist characteristics, including age, gender, occupation, income, and distance, are analyzed based on primary data gathered through interviews, observations, and questionnaires, supplemented by secondary data from literature. The findings reveal that Mudal River Tourism Park mostly attracts male visitors (50,9%), drawn to its adventurous offerings. The majority are students aged 15-25 with income levels mostly below Rp1.000.000. Most visitors reside within a distance of 0-50 km, primarily originating from Yogyakarta City. The calculated economic potential value of Sungai Mudal Tourism Park reaches IDR Rp 23.257.628.649,27 per year, averaging IDR 346.634,25 per individual annually in consumer surplus. However, the actual economic value recorded in 2022 stands at IDR 7.052.230.000 which represents 30% of the total potential economic value. This indicates that tourists visiting Sungai Mudal Tourism Park obtain environmental service benefits surpassing the incurred costs. Yet, this potential economic value is non-monetary. Effective management strategies for Sungai Mudal Tourism Park are necessary to enhance the actual economic value of tourism.

Insights from the 2-year-long human confinement experiment in Grand Cayman reveal the resilience of coral reef fish communities

In March 2020, the world went into lockdown to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), with immediate impacts on wildlife across ecosystems. The strict 2-year long lockdown in Grand Cayman provided an unprecedented opportunity to assess how the ‘human confinement experiment’ influenced the community composition of reef fish. Using a suite of multivariate statistics, our findings revealed a stark increase in reef fish biomass during the 2 years of lockdown, especially among herbivores, including parrotfish, with drastic increases in juvenile parrotfishes identified. Additionally, when comparing baseline data of the community from 2018 to the 2 years during lockdown, over a three-fold significant increase in mean reef fish biomass was observed, with a clear shift in community composition. Our findings provide unique insights into the resilience of reef fish communities when local anthropogenic stressors are removed for an unprecedented length of time. Given the functional role of herbivores including parrotfish, our results suggest that reductions in human water-based activities have positive implications for coral reef ecosystems and should be considered in future management strategies.

Potential for aquatic cultural services in fresh water for fresh water- based ecotourism, Vawnikulam reservoir, in Mullaitivu, Sri Lanka

Freshwater-based tourism comprises both tourism and an ecotourism component. The current study evaluates the diversity of freshwater fish in water resources that may suffer from freshwater-based tourism (Ecotourism) within the zone and investigates conceivable opportunities for such ecotourism in Vawnikulam major reservoir in Mullaitive district, Sri Lanka. The Mullaitive district has distinctive topographical highlights that have a high potential for fresh water resources. These highlights include three major tanks, sixteen medium tanks, and more than 100 minor tanks. There are just 21,399 land-based freshwater bodies, 8% of the total land area, and no significant perennial rivers that can be used to irrigate crops. This study used a mix of primary (qualitative and quantitative) and secondary information sources. Multi-gillnet rods and hooks were chosen as the material for the particular harvest strategy, which was utilized to gather the sample. From January to December 2022, the Vawnikulam major reservoir within the Mullaitive district was considered. Fish diversity, relative abundance, and diversity indices were determined and applied to analyze the potential for ecotourism based on freshwater resources. During the study period, 28 species including 11 families were recorded. According to national conservation status (NCS) ,7 Endemic (E) species 14 Native species (NA), 6 Introduced species, and 1 species were Near threatened (NT) were identified. In order to disentangle the pathways of fresh water as aquatic cultural services and create fresh water-based ecotourism activities that can develop in Mullaitive district, Sri Lanka, this investigation distinguished the travellers within the considered area. It also analyses appropriate freshwater-based ecotourism activities.

A dual spatial analysis method based on recreation opportunity spectrum and analytical hierarchy process for outdoor recreation site suitability

Spatial planning tools are required to conduct outdoor recreational activities in harmony with the natural environment. This study introduces a dual spatial analysis method in which the Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) are run sequentially to evaluate different criteria groups. This study was conducted in the coastal region of the Enez district of Edirne, one of Turkey's northwestern provinces. With ROS, remoteness, and evidence of humans criteria were considered unweighted, and four land classes, urban, rural, natural with road, and primitive-semiprimitive, and activities suitable for these land classes were determined in the GIS environment. These are six terrestrial activities including nature walk, cycling, horse riding, picnic, camping, and wildlife observation, and four water-based activities including canoeing, swimming, diving, and handline fishing. With the AHP, nine natural criteria were analyzed as weighted and four suitability levels were determined for each activity in the GIS environment, as not suitable, marginally suitable, moderately suitable, and highly suitable. Sensitivity analysis by changing the priorities of the criteria showed that the analysis using the AHP results was reliable especially for determining highly suitable areas, and could be helpful for outdoor recreation planning. Finally, the suitability maps matched the ROS land classes, and the verified final maps were created. This study provides reliable results, showing that planners and decision-makers can adapt to similar areas with different administrative or geographical boundaries. Simultaneously, it contains a series of information that will contribute to planning components such as exploring, developing, diversifying, and presenting outdoor recreation opportunities and restricting them when necessary.

Recreation Area Characteristics and Their Impact on Property Values within Florida’s Wekiva River System

Water-based recreation areas provide many benefits to society and the ecosystem services they provide are increasingly being considered in land planning and conservation decisions. We examine the value of the Wekiva River in central Florida using a hedonic valuation model of residential property values. We analyze how structural characteristics of single-family homes and recreation area characteristics, such as fee systems, size of the area, and activities provided, impact property values. We find that publicly owned recreation areas with both land and water-based recreation activities increased property values within 5 miles of the Wekiva River. Proximity to recreation areas marginally increased housing values, and the size of the recreation areas and ecosystem type had no impact on property values. We recommend that recreation managers and land use planners focus efforts on conserving more publicly owned conservation lands that increase recreation access to residents to promote contiguous natural areas.

A stepped down physical activity support program for military service veterans: The Active Choices pilot study.

Referral to supervised physical activity (PA) programs is an effective treatment for military service veterans (MSVs) suffering from a range of chronic diseases. However, many MSVs fail to maintain PA regimes once discharged from supervision. This pilot study assessed Active Choices, a stepped-down program to support MSVs in the transition from allied health treatment to self-managed PA. Participants were 34 Australian MSVs (mean [SD] age = 61 [15.8] years) who were completing supervised referral to an exercise physiologist or physiotherapist. MSVs stepped-down to Active Choices and received a 12-week, evidence-based PA support program (2020-2021). Analyses compared within-group changes in accelerometer-assessed PA at three time points (Weeks 0, 12, and 24; linear mixed model). Program retention, PA choices, and allied healthcare service costs were also evaluated. Relative to baseline (64 [26] min/day), mean (SD) moderate-to-vigorous PA increased (74 [28] min/day; p < .05) and was maintained (62 [28] min/day) at weeks 12 and 24, respectively. Retention in the program was high (86% [29/34 participants] completion rate at 12 weeks), with water-based group activities the most popular PAs of choice (14/24 activities). Average allied healthcare service costs during the study were lower than typical costs for MSVs (60.51 vs. 97.06 AUD/week). The findings highlight the potential of Active Choices to support MSVs in the transition from supervised to self-managed MVPA. SO WHAT?: The program could promote the health of veterans and reduce costs for ongoing referral if impact is replicated at scale.

Recreational impacts of an oil spill in a world heritage area: a combined travel cost and contingent behaviour method approach

ABSTRACT Fiordland National Park is a UNESCO world heritage site that draws hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. An oil spill in this area could impact the visitation to not only Milford Sound, but to all of Fiordland National Park and the lower South Island. This study examined the impacts on the recreational value of Fiordland National Park under three oil spill scenarios in Milford Sound. Using a combined approach of travel cost and contingent behaviour methods revealed a consumer surplus of a visit to Fiordland National Park of NZD 534.76 and NZD 1,449.28 per person, with and without accommodation respectively. This leads to an aggregate consumer surplus estimate ranging from NZD 427.8–1,159.4 million for Fiordland National Park based on pre-COVID visitor numbers. The three oil spill scenarios represented small, medium, and large-scale oil spills, limiting various water-based activities at each step. This showed that for each increase in oil level, there was a decrease of NZD 164.10 and NZD 923.73 per person with and without accommodation respectively. This leads to an estimated minimum decrease of the welfare of visitors by 30.7–63.7 percent, or a decrease of NZD 131.3–734.0 million in the annual recreational value. Key Policy Highlights Aggregate annual recreational value estimates ranging from NZD 427.8 million – NZD 1.6 billion pre-COVID19. An oil spill occurring in Milford Sound demonstrated a minimum annual recreational value decrease of NZD 131.3 million over five years. These results demonstrate the need for appropriately funded prevention and preparedness policies to minimize possible damages.

Photovoice to explore the patient experience of a relative motion orthosis following a hand injury

BackgroundLittle is known about the patient experience of relative motion (RM) orthoses, or how they impact hand use and participation in occupational roles. PurposeTo explore the use of Photovoice methodology in hand-injured patients and the patient experience of wearing a RM orthosis. Study DesignPhotovoice methodology, Qualitative Participatory research, feasibility study MethodsPurposive sampling was used to identify adult patients prescribed a RM orthosis as part of their therapy intervention for an acute hand injury. Over a 2-week period and using their personal camera device participants captured their experience of wearing a RM orthosis and its impact on their daily life. Participants shared 15-20 photos with the researchers. At a face-to-face semi-structured interview, 5 key photographs were selected by the participants with context and meaning explored. Interview data was transcribed, captions and context of images confirmed by member checking, and thematic analysis completed. ResultsProtocol fidelity was observed using our planned Photovoice methodology. Three participants (aged 22-46 years) shared 42 photos and completed individual interviews. All participants reported their involvement as a positive experience. Six themes were identified: adherence, orthosis factors, expectations and comparisons, impact on daily activities, emotions, and relationships. RM orthoses allowed freedom of movement enabling participation in a range of occupations. Challenges included water-based activities, computer use and kitchen tasks. Participants expectation of orthotic wear and recovery appeared to contribute to their overall experience, with RM orthoses viewed favourably when compared to other orthoses and immobilization methods. ConclusionsPhotovoice methodology was a positive process for participant reflection and a larger study is recommended. Wearing a RM orthosis enabled functional hand use as well as providing challenges completing everyday activities. Participants had different demands, experiences, expectations, and emotions associated with wearing a RM orthosis, reinforcing the need for clinicians to take a client-centred approach.

THE WATER ENVIRONMENT - AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR PROMOTING HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Introduction: According to the annual report by the United Nations on the World Happiness Index, aquatic practices demonstrate a growth rate that is higher than the overall growth of all recreational types of physical activity. Methods: We conducted a comparative analysis of innovative aquatic programs implemented by gender, for individuals in active age. Results: The immune system's health is improved through the hardening effect of the aquatic environment and zone-directed physical activity, according to gender and age. Aquatic programs supported by scientific evidence of effectiveness combined with personalized dietary regimens are increasingly desired and booked 2-3 weeks in advance. Aquatic practices are an effective tool for healthy prevention and a successful strategy against panic attacks. Aqua practices promote overall health status and contribute to a balanced wellness lifestyle. Discussion: Practicing a culture of relaxation and wellness, individuals are urged to incorporate water-based activities as one natural health source into their daily routines or leisure time. Aquatic practices are a winning tool for investing in individual, family, and corporate health, increasing the level of Well-being. Conslusion: Bulgaria is blessed with an abundance of mineral springs, both hot and cold, as well as curative peloids made from mud, salt, clay, or sludge from mineral springs, lakes, seas, or rivers. These natural and eco-friendly sources provide a wealth of health benefits straight from nature.

An investigation of outdoor recreational users' willingness to participate in aquatic invasive plant control

Aquatic invasive plants (AIP) can have major ecological and socioeconomic impacts. Effective management is therefore essential. Because many biological invasions occur in places used for outdoor recreation, recreational user engagement is widely advocated. However, few studies have been conducted on recreational user engagement in biological control, and those that exist have placed surprisingly little emphasis on several predictors used in the field of outdoor studies. This study explored the factors influencing recreational users' willingness to participate in the control of AIP at a freshwater lake in south-western France. Five actions were proposed (i.e. changing the way one uses the lake, informing others about the plants, being part of a manual removal collective, sending information to a participative citizen observatory, giving money). In a first step, I demonstrated that the proportion of the individuals' responses on the five willingness to engage is statistically different. In a second step, I estimated binomial regressions to model willingness to participate in the various management actions. Predictors drawn from the invasion sciences and outdoor research studies were included. Recreational factors were highly significant in predicting willingness to participate. Good knowledge of the invasive plants and participation in water-based activities were also strong positive incentives to participate. The influences of perceived impacts (both positive and negative) and education were ambivalent. The study confirms that not all forms of participation in the control of biological invasion are considered of equal value. To increase the scale of community-based management, it is therefore important to define precisely what is being asked of the recreational user.

A qualitative study of the causes and circumstances of drowning in Uganda

BackgroundDrowning is a serious worldwide and preventable injury problem, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The aim of this paper is to draw on the results of semi-structured interviews with witnesses, family members and friends of persons involved in fatal and nonfatal drowning incidents to describe the circumstances of drowning in both lakeside and non-lakeside districts and to identify potential contextually appropriate interventions for drowning prevention and surveillance in Uganda.MethodsThe findings presented in this study were based on data collected from study participants selected through purposive sampling comprising 324 individual face-to-face interviews with drowning witnesses, family members, friends of and survivors of drowning and ten (10) focus group discussions held with community members in 14 districts in Uganda. Data analysis was done using the Framework Analysis Approach with the aid of the Microsoft Atlas ti software (version 8) program.ResultsThe study results reveal a range of circumstances under which drowning occurs in Uganda, poor record keeping of drowning incidents, fear of reporting drowning incidences to the authorities, challenges in preventing drowning and proposed strategies for mitigating the problem.ConclusionsThis study found that there is no specialized record keeping system for drowning cases in Uganda and where such records are kept, the system is entirely manual (in hard copy form) with no electronic storage of data. Secondly, the drowning cases reported to police posts and stations in various parts of the country are not transmitted to the district headquarters and national database. These and other conclusions not only provide valuable insights into understanding of drowning circumstances but also the key policy and programme interventions for water-based economic activities such as fishing and public water transportation in Uganda and other LMICs.

Multiple Motives for Adventure Sport Revisited: A Multi-Activity Investigation

The growing popularity of adventure recreation highlights the need to understand its participants and the individual characteristics of these activities in order to target health and well-being outcomes through adventure leisure pursuits. While exploratory qualitative studies have questioned the centrality of risk and thrill in adventure recreation, these studies often involved small sample sizes and amalgamated diverse adventure activities. The current study investigated adventure recreation motives via semi-structured interviews with a large sample (n = 84) of expert participants across six distinct air, land and water-based adventure activities (e.g., wingsuit BASE jumping, freeriding, downhill mountain biking, big-wave surfing). Seven themes (underpinned by 12 subthemes) emerged during thematic data analysis as key adventure recreation motives: holistic living, emotional diversity, competence, social connectedness, nature experience, agency, and optimal mental states. Although all themes were present across each adventure activity, data illustrated differences in the relative importance of motives across activities. Findings suggested that (1) adventure recreation and associated motives are more heterogeneous than currently conceptualized, and (2) adventure recreation motives should be more broadly conceptualized beyond hedonic motives (e.g., risk and thrill-seeking) to encompass more diverse eudaimonic motives.

Potential changes in the recreational use value for Coastal Bay of Plenty, New Zealand due to oil spills: A combined approach of the travel cost and contingent behaviour methods

New Zealand is an island nation with an extensive coastline. Subsequently, marine water-based recreational activities are important to New Zealanders and bring income to coastal communities. Pollution events, such as marine oil spills, are incidents that can negatively impact the water quality and the recreational use of the New Zealand coastline. To improve the information base for informing maritime policies, and estimate the likely impacts of an oil spill to coastal areas of New Zealand, this study examined the potential impacts on recreational value with three oil spill scenarios at a stretch of beach in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. Using a combined approach of travel cost and contingent behaviour methods revealed that the consumer surplus of a visit to the beach by domestic visitors was approximately NZD 121 per person. The approach allowed assessment of the likely use of the beach under differing potential oil spill impacts restricting various marine-based recreational activities. A small oil spill with occasional traces of oil but no restrictions on recreational activities decreased the value to NZD 29.74. A moderate oil spill restricting only fishing, surfing, and swimming decreased the value to NZD 9.83. A severe oil spill stopping all recreational use decreased the value to NZD 4.30. When these recreational losses are combined with known clean-up costs and direct use losses in fisheries and tourism, the total direct use loss to a coastal area like this stretch of beach in the Bay of Plenty, where the MV Rena spill occurred in 2011, could be over NZD (2011) 111 million, of which NZD (2011) 66.14 million is recreational visitor use alone. This estimate allows consideration for the entire direct use values lost that an oil spill could have to a coastal community and to New Zealand as a whole.

Healthy Living Lifestyles: Land and Sea

This new 5-page publication of the UF/IFAS Food Science and Human Nutrition Department provides information for the general public about the benefits of incorporating land- and water-based natural resource activities to achieve a healthy lifestyle. Written by Razieh Farzad, Brittany Scharf, Jim E. Davis, LuAnn Duncan, and Jana Anderson.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fs441

Trends of recreational water quality in Albania’s coastal during 2016–2020

Water quality impairment is a substantial environmental hazard which impacts a wide variety of stakeholders and interests, particularly those who participate in outdoor water-based recreational activities. Recreational bathing water qualities are highly vulnerable to microbial pollution from municipal sewage, industrial effluents, agriculture run-off and river discharges. Fecal contamination impairs water quality and potentiates human health risks. The aim of this study was to see the 5-year trend of microbiological quality of recreational bathing waters in Albania. Every year we collected 1,071 samples taken 30 centimeters below the water’s surface at least one meter deep. Assessment of bacterial load of the coastal waters was done nine times for every point, for the Escherichia coli and Intestinal enterococci, according to the methods ISO 7899-1 and ISO 9308-3. Bathing water assessment is to be classified according the categories indicated in the Directive 2006/7/EC and recommendations of WHO/UNEP-2010. Microbial Water Quality Assessment Category (cfu/100 ml water) done in 119 monitoring points were: During 2016, Excellent 53%, Sufficient 23%, Good 9% and Poor 15%. In 2017, Excellent 68%, Sufficient 15%, Good 6% and Poor 10%. During 2018, Excellent 82.4%, Sufficient 13%, Good 0.9% and Poor 3.7%. During 2019, Excellent 89%, Sufficient 2.5%, Good 6% and Poor 2.5%. During 2020 Excellent 89.9%, Sufficient 5%, Good 0.9%, and Poor 4.2%. Based on the above assessment, it is noticed a significant increase of microbial quality of recreational bathing waters in Albania due to investments in the sewerage system and better waste water treatment.