Freshwater turtle bycatch research supports science‐based fisheries management

Abstract

Although it is sometimes difficult for researchers to ensure that their work is used by resource managers to make informed decisions, an example where this knowledge–action gap has been breached is in research published in Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems (AQC) – among other journals – that has assisted fisheries managers in identifying strategies for reducing freshwater turtle bycatch in commercial hoop net fisheries in Ontario, Canada. Research published in AQC has provided evidence towards a simple and effective method for preventing turtle bycatch mortality in hoop nets, which could be adopted by the fishers. Other research published in AQC evaluated the effect of bycatch mortality on the probability of persistence of turtle populations with population viability analyses, and outlined the need to minimize bycatch mortality to prevent local extirpation. Nine other papers have been published on freshwater turtle bycatch in Ontario, furthering our knowledge on this issue including seasonality and temperature effects on catches, other net modifications, post‐release effects and assisted recovery, and the perspectives of fishers. The research results were presented to local resource managers with further discussions involving industry and stakeholders to minimize turtle bycatch mortality. Over several years, researchers have provided information to resource managers; however, when an incident of high turtle mortality caught the public eye, the research was readily available and changes in regulations were quick to occur. Reasonably good communication among researchers, resource managers, industry, stakeholders, and the broader public allowed the rapid implementation of regulations to mitigate freshwater turtle bycatch mortality and bridged the knowledge–action gap between researchers and resource managers. Both articles published in AQC had practical conservation impacts and were influential in providing local resource managers with feasible solutions, and the impetus to change regulations. These impacts extended to other jurisdictions and their monitoring programmes, where methods to reduce turtle bycatch mortality were also implemented.

More exposure opportunities for promoting freshwater conservation

“…Scientific communications including popular versions of publications (e.g. feature articles in magazines, graphical illustrations, or video summaries), translations of main findings into local languages where results are meant to be implemented, participatory workshops with key actors and outreach activities in local communities emphasizing the social and cultural values of freshwater habitats and species, can all improve recognition and acceptance of scientific findings by stakeholders and the general public (Cooke & Suski, 2020;Larocque et al, 2020;Noble & Fulton, 2020). Moreover, active engagement in follow-up monitoring and assessment programmes (e.g.…”

Twenty‐five essential research questions to inform the protection and restoration of freshwater biodiversity

“…Changing attitudes and perspectives is difficult, especially if biodiversity initiatives are perceived as detrimental to human livelihoods (e.g. turtle bycatch reduction strategies; Nguyen et al, 2013), but is not impossible (Larocque et al, 2020). Designing methods to motivate involvement (e.g.…”