Biosecurity messages are lost in translation to citizens: Implications for devolving management to citizens

Abstract

The increasing focus of marine biosecurity agencies on transferring management responsibilities to citizens and industry begs the question whether devolved responsibility is a viable option for creating biosecurity outcomes. We examined recreational marine users’ self-declared awareness of non-indigenous marine species (NIMS) at six locations in Tasmania, Australia and evaluated the accuracy of their awareness through recognition of four well-known NIMS with active awareness campaigns. We also investigated whether the activities of recreational marine users influence the accuracy of their NIMS recognition skills. We generally found that respondents declare NIMS awareness (70.45%), yet we found their recognition accuracy was variable ranging from low to fair (<10% to 54.95%) and recreational activity did not influence accuracy. Based on our results, we conclude that marine users’ awareness does not predict accuracy and therefore devolved management of biosecurity without additional resources may pose a risky biosecurity management strategy.

Exploring perceptions of marine biosecurity interventions: insights from the commercial marina sector

“…Firstly, workshop participants expressed scepticism in the effectiveness of traditional biosecurity awareness raising initiatives among their customers. Indeed, this is supported by evidence from New Zealand where, despite a much greater national awareness and emphasis on biosecurity than in the UK and Republic of Ireland, many marine users were unclear on biosecurity messages they had been exposed to through education campaigns [33].…”

“…Understanding the implications of biosecurity interventions for the commercial operation of marinas is crucial to encourage uptake where the implementation of biosecurity is voluntary. To date, research into marina biosecurity has focussed on quantifying the risk posed by vessels and operations [29][30][31], understanding non-native species awareness by marina owners and users [32,33] and the development and testing of novel tools, such as in-water quarantine systems [20,34]. However, there has been little in-depth investigation into marina operators' perceptions of biosecurity interventions beyond limited investigations into their current practices [32].…”

Biological invasions and human dimensions: We still need to work hard on our social perspectives

“…However, the perception that something, ranging from a species to a landscape is native, will be critically conditioned by the extent of our knowledge about it and its historical records. Led by intuition, people from different cultures and regions worldwide tend to believe they are capable of recognizing, or somehow detecting any new (i.e., non-native) species appearing in the landscapes they live in (Campbell et al 2017). However, biological invasions constantly challenge our ability to perceive Nature.…”

Understanding and improving biosecurity among recreational anglers in Great Britain

“…Mitigation strategies to minimise the risk of introduction and spread of INNS must include recreational users and encourage the voluntary implementation of robust biosecurity measures (Anderson et al ., 2014; Pradhananga et al ., 2015; Smith et al ., 2020). Guidance on biosecurity best practices is disseminated through biosecurity campaigns, which aim to shift individual biosecurity behaviours through raising awareness and providing resources and facilities that support behaviour change (Campbell et al ., 2017). Knowledge of individuals' risk perceptions, attitudes, and behaviours is key to tailoring outreach to diverse stakeholder groups and thus increasing the effectiveness of biosecurity campaigns (Pavloski et al ., 2019; Shackleton et al ., 2019).…”