Designing locally-appropriate conservation incentives for small-scale fishers

Booth, Hollie; Ramdlan, M Said; Hafizh, Ayesha; Wongsopatty, Karto; Mourato, Susana; Pienkowski, Thomas; Adrinato, Luky; Milner‐Gulland, E. J.

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2022.109821

Cited by 14 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 79 publications

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“…Ecosystem Services', for example to fishers to release protected species or to avoid fishing in certain areas, may be more effective in changing behaviours and ultimately consumption patterns of shark products (Booth et al, 2021(Booth et al, , 2023.…”

Section: Alternative Conservation Interventions Such As 'Payments Formentioning

confidence: 99%

Consumption of shark products: The interface of sustainability, trade (mis)labelling, human health and human rights

et al. 2023

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Sharks and rays evolved 450 million years ago, during the Late Ordovician Period. However, during the modern Anthropocene, shark populations have declined at considerable rates, and recent global assessments indicate about one in three species is threatened with extinction. A notable reason for this elevated extinction risk is overfishing linked to increased demand for shark fins and other products. Here, we review multiple dimensions of consuming shark products, ranging from stock sustainability, product (mis)labelling and trade, the human health implications of consuming shark products, and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and slavery and labour abuses in the fishing industry. We conclude that traceability and increased transparency in seafood supply chains is essential to overcome obstacles to consumption of sustainable, ethical and healthy shark products. We also provide a decision tree outlining steps in consumer choice that would foster such consumption. Our aim is to provide a holistic view on issues concerning the consumption of shark products that will help policymakers, the public, management and law enforcement agencies to advocate for ecologically‐ and ethically sustainable consumption of shark products and thereby empower the general public to make informed decisions on which shark products they consume.

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Section: Alternative Conservation Interventions Such As 'Payments Formentioning

confidence: 99%

Consumption of shark products: The interface of sustainability, trade (mis)labelling, human health and human rights

et al. 2023

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“…Monetary incentives (such as payments for ecosystem services) or disincentives (like fines or sanctions) may be effective in implementing conservation interventions but may also have unintended consequences (Booth et al, 2021; Muradian et al, 2013; Travers et al, 2016). On the other hand, social norms, culture and institutional arrangements can also shape individual behaviour, and can be an entry point for conservation (Booth et al, 2021; Ostrom, 1990). Given the low commercial values of rhino rays, positive attitudes towards their conservation and possible relational values, voluntary release measures implemented through norms‐based approaches might be successful.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Drawing on local knowledge and attitudes for the conservation of critically endangered rhino rays in Goa, India

et al. 2023

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In the context of marine species declines in data‐limited regions, local ecological knowledge (LEK) is a valuable source of information on species ecology and historical trends. LEK can also help understand how threatened species exist within a local culture, in terms of their uses and values, and reveal attitudes towards their conservation. Rhino rays (guitarfish and wedgefish) are highly threatened by overfishing with most species critically endangered, yet poorly studied in countries like India that fish them the most. We drew on LEK to understand the socio‐ecological status of rhino rays in Goa, on the west coast of India. We investigated their habitat use and seasonality, interaction with fisheries, socio‐economic uses and relational values. We also explored attitudes of fishers towards rhino rays and their conservation. A combination of semistructured interviews and key informant interviews (88 in total) was conducted with fishers at multiple sites. Local knowledge suggests that nearshore habitats around river mouths form important nursery grounds for some rhino rays, and provided insights on their seasonality and breeding. Rhino rays appeared to be targeted historically but are entirely bycaught at present, with highest catches in gillnets and in the South Goa district, during September and October. LEK indicated that taxa like sawfish (Pristis spp.) and wedgefish (Rhynchobatus spp.) have severely declined or disappeared from this region. We coded different relational values, from recreation (rhino rays are consumed and enjoyed with alcohol) to symbolic values (rhino rays are considered lucky). All key informants expressed positive attitudes towards rhino ray conservation and stated that a ban on landing these species would have little to no impact on fisher earnings. The usefulness of LEK suggests it should be brought into the scientific mainstream to support development of more equitable and socially appropriate management plans. Fostering relational values can reinforce fishers' positive attitudes, thereby enhancing rhino ray conservation. Their low commercial value and potentially high post‐capture survival suggest that using norm‐based approaches to promote live release may be successful. Further research on rhino ray ecology and human dimensions can support the development of appropriate conservation interventions. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

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“…Conversely, if attitudes and norms towards catching threatened species are positive, underlying socio‐economic motivations may hinder uptake. In these situations, economic or social incentives may be required (Booth et al, 2023; Nyborg et al, 2016; Wosnick et al, 2020). This information can help to ‘diagnose’ the typology of bycatch (Figure 1) for a given species and context and inform the design of management interventions to target salient beliefs and change fisher behaviour.…”

Section: A Socio‐psychological Approach To Bycatchmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since behavioural beliefs for wedgefish and hammerhead sharks were primarily focused on material outcomes—such as money and food—incentives or compensation may be required to re‐shape fishers' beliefs regarding the outcomes of bycatch‐relevant behaviour. For example, performance‐based compensation for live release (Booth et al, 2023; Wosnick et al, 2020) or marine conservation agreements which ‘buy out’ fishing rights in spatio‐temporal closures (Sykes et al, 2018) could create positive outcome evaluations for bycatch mitigation, since lost income would be compensated for. In parallel, lessons for salient and culturally meaningful conservation messaging can also be drawn from positive behavioural beliefs regarding bycatch mitigation for whale sharks.…”

Section: Case Study: Using the Tpb To Understand Bycatch‐relevant Beh...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…When seeking to manage bycatch in a particular context, it is important to diagnose where along this spectrum a given species falls, to design interventions that can effectively change bycatch‐relevant behaviour. For example, if bycatch is undesirable, a low‐cost technical fix may be feasible; however, if bycatch mitigation has opportunity costs, incentives or compensation may be required to promote uptake (Hall, 1996; Matwal et al, 2014; Wosnick et al, 2020; Booth et al 2023; Figure 1).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A socio‐psychological approach for understanding and managing bycatch in small‐scale fisheries

et al. 2023

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Fisheries bycatch is the greatest threat to migratory, long‐lived marine animals. Addressing bycatch ultimately requires changing fisher behaviour, yet social and behavioural sciences are rarely applied to bycatch mitigation, with an absence of theory‐informed behaviour change interventions. Moreover, mitigating bycatch is particularly challenging in small‐scale mixed‐species fisheries (SSFs), where perceptions of target and non‐target vary widely, and all catches have economic or subsistence value. Such fisheries are ubiquitous throughout the world's oceans, and bycatch mitigation in these contexts necessitates a people‐centred approach. We seek to address this gap, drawing on well‐established theories from behavioural and social sciences. We first typify bycatch as a spectrum rather than a clearly delineated component of catch, where the position of a species on this spectrum depends on fishers' beliefs regarding the outcomes of bycatch‐relevant behaviour. We then outline an approach to ‘diagnose’ fishers' underlying beliefs about bycatch, using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB): a widely applied and empirically tested theory for predicting and changing behaviour. Finally, we illustrate the approach using an empirical case study, exploring fishers' beliefs regarding bycatch‐relevant behaviour for three endangered elasmobranch species in a small‐scale gill net fishery in Indonesia. Our findings show how the TPB can help to understand fishers' underlying beliefs regarding bycatch, and facilitators/inhibitors of bycatch mitigation, to inform behaviour change interventions. We emphasize the need to understand the human dimensions of bycatch, especially in SSFs, where technical fixes alone will be insufficient to change behaviour. Rather, interdisciplinary approaches are needed to align fishers' needs with conservation objectives. Our bycatch spectrum and the TPB could be widely applied for disentangling drivers of bycatch in other SSFs and designing interventions which support more effective and socially just marine conservation. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

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Designing locally-appropriate conservation incentives for small-scale fishers

Cited by 14 publications

References 79 publications

Consumption of shark products: The interface of sustainability, trade (mis)labelling, human health and human rights

Consumption of shark products: The interface of sustainability, trade (mis)labelling, human health and human rights

Drawing on local knowledge and attitudes for the conservation of critically endangered rhino rays in Goa, India

A socio‐psychological approach for understanding and managing bycatch in small‐scale fisheries

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