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Seal hunting in Newfoundland from the perspective of local people
Abstract
The hunting of harp (Pagophilus groenladicus) and grey (Halichoerus grypus) seal are part of Newfoundland and Labrador's cultural heritage, tradition, and livelihood. Controversies, however, exist around seal hunting and the permanence of the industry, which is infused by the perceived impact of seals to the local fishery and the growing populations of these species off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador. To include coastal residents in the seal debate, a self-administered questionnaire was randomly distributed across 40 communities (38 rural and 2 urban). Overall, respondents valued seals for their ecological, intrinsic, cultural and instrumental values, expressed positive attitudes toward seals, believed seals were causing the decline of the Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), held low trust toward the federal agency governing the sea, did not think the hunting was cruel and supported continuity of the activity. Results from structural equation modelling showed that support for stopping the seal hunt was positively influenced by beliefs about cruelty associated to hunting, and negatively influenced by acceptability of using seals for commercial and subsistence purposes. Statistical differences were found between rural and urban respondents, yet both groups held similar views. Findings suggested that despite positive ecological and intrinsic values and attitudes, seals were perceived as an abundant species that needs to be lethally controlled. The lack of trust on the government suggested that an open dialogue is necessary for an effecting seal management.
... The general public in West Scotland opposed reducing seal populations to protect fisheries (Scott & Parsons, 2005) whereas, in Finland, local landowners were less supportive of seal conservation (Tonder & Jurvelius, 2004). Local residents supported lethal control in Sweden (Waldo et al., 2020) and seal hunting in Newfoundland, Canada (Engel et al., 2021). ...
... Increasing public support for marine predators has been attributed to improved understanding of their ecological role (Mazzoldi et al., 2019), but empirical research to support this relationship is limited. Only a few studies have assessed perceptions of the ecological importance of seals and sea lions (Cummings et al., 2019;Engel et al., 2021). While multiple studies have surveyed recreational and commercial fishers on catch depredation and fishing gear damage (e.g., Butler et al., 2011;T. ...
... The model was tested using unweighted data in AMOS, excluding cases with missing data. Goodness of Fit (with an acceptable GFI >.95), Normed Fit Index (with an acceptable NFI >.90), Comparable Fit Index (with an acceptable CFI ≥.95), and root mean square error of approximation (with an acceptable RMSEA <.08) as well as the change in chi-square and χ 2 /df were calculated to assess the model's goodness of fit for each sample (Engel et al., 2021;Hooper et al., 2008). ...
... Previous studies have examined stakeholders' acceptance of different tools used in wildlife management 2,3,8,14,[20][21][22][23] . In general, there is more support for non-lethal tools (e.g., the use of deterrents, fencing) compared to lethal ones and even when lethal tools are supported, stakeholders often emphasize ethical considerations 1,15,23 (but see 24 ). Yet, acceptance levels are highly dependent on stakeholder group, with conservationists often displaying a low acceptance for lethal tools even for abundant species 8 . ...
Understanding wildlife stakeholders is vital in mitigating the risk for inertia in the implementation of management and illegal activities, e.g., poaching. We used a unique set of questionnaire data of stakeholders in Sweden (n = 8728) comprising birdwatchers, hunters, farmers, and the general public, to analyze evaluations of geese, beliefs about goose management at multiple levels, and acceptance of management tools. Also, a hierarchical model incorporating prior wildlife experience and integrating cognitions and emotions for acceptance was tested. The overall attitude towards geese was positive, but ecosystem disservices caused by large populations were acknowledged. The general public and birdwatchers displayed trust in the national, regional, and local levels. In contrast, farmers and hunters trusted mainly the local level. Broad stakeholder acceptance was found for several non-lethal tools for damage reduction and more generally a goose conservation approach including e.g., hunting free zones, but also for hunting during open hunting season. We found support for the proposed model in relation to acceptance of both the conservation and the lethal approach, thereby advancing theory integration. Results suggest that while goose conservation is widely accepted, problems caused by geese and distrust in the higher management levels among some stakeholder groups need to be addressed.
... Surveys of angler attitudes toward California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) have found support among commercial passenger fishing vessel operators for lethal management, while on-site anglers who reported lower instances of seals interfering with fishing opposed lethal management (Cook et al., 2015). In Atlantic Canada, a survey examining support for the Newfoundland harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus) and gray seal (Halichoerus grypus) hunt found that the public perceived seals as overabundant and causing the decline of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), despite understanding their ecological and intrinsic value (Engel et al., 2021). ...
Conflict between humans and marine predators is on the rise globally, particularly in developed nations where conservation and management programs have allowed populations to recover. Over the last 50 years, legal protections have resulted in increased seal and white shark presence in the nearshore waters of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, leading to recent increased conflict with commercial fisheries and beachgoers. Following a fatal shark bite on Cape Cod in 2018, pressure has mounted on managers to address growing numbers of seals and white sharks. To determine stakeholder management preferences, questionnaires were administered to Cape Cod residents, commercial fishers, and tourists in summer 2021. All groups lacked knowledge of management history, with fewer than 60% of respondents aware that bounty-hunting had caused seal population declines and less than half aware that fishing activity had impacted Western North Atlantic white shark populations. Respondents in all groups preferred non-lethal management over the use of lethal methods and supported conflict prevention strategies, with levels of support varying among stakeholder groups. Results reveal shared and distinct values held by stakeholders amid conflict with recovering populations of marine predators, highlighting a need for stakeholder-specific messaging in efforts to promote coexistence.
Effective natural resource management relies on understanding how humans conceive of, and interact with, their environment. In this chapter, we focus on two cognitive constructs, mental models and values that are commonly used by researchers to gain insight into this phenomenon. We draw on our research to compare a variety of data collection and analytical methods to elicit mental models and values, including interviews (situated and non-situated), drawing tasks, photovoice and participatory mapping. This paper aims to provide guidance to researchers and practitioners in eliciting mental models and values in the context of managing social-ecological systems, including potential benefits of studying these cognitive constructs simultaneously.KeywordsNatural resource managementEnvironmentParticipatory methodsCommunity engagement
We studied how the South American sea lion (SASL, Otaria flavescens ) interacts with the operation of an artisanal fishery of Chinook salmon, a non-native species in Chile, using a combination of biological and social approaches, including a valuation by fishers about this interaction. During austral summer of 2019, an observer onboard artisanal fishing boats characterized the attack behavior of SASLs to gillnet-captured Chinook salmon during 33 hauls and analyzed which factors may affect the intensity of attacks. To analyze the relationship between fishers and SASLs, a Likert scale about the perception and views about nature was applied. A total of 23 interviews—including 35 open and 16 closed questions—with fishers were conducted to describe how they perceived the interactions with SASLs. Interactions with SASLs were recorded in 35% of the fishing events and varied depending on both operational factors, such as the number of boats, as well as environmental factors, such as moon’s luminosity. Even though SASL interactions resulted in seven fish (~ 70 kg) damaged of a total catch of 2815 kg (2.5%) during the survey, boats with a damaged catch by SASL lost up to 11% of their revenue. This is consistent with 87% of the interviewed fishers who considered that the conflict with the SASL negatively impacts their activity and results in economic losses. A negative perception towards SASLs likely results from personal experience and revenue loss, even though impacts of SASL interactions at the scale of the entire fishery may be less important. While older fishers with less formal education have a productivist and instrumental focus, younger fishers with a more sustainable and conservationist view of fishing offer an opportunity to lead an improved local understanding of the relationship between salmon, SASLs, and humans.
The extraordinary population growth of certain ungulate species is increasingly a concern in agroforestry areas because overabundance may negatively affect natural environments and human livelihoods. However, society may have negative perceptions of killing wildlife to reduce their numbers and mitigate damage. We used an online survey that included a choice experiment to determine Spanish citizens’ (n = 190) preferences toward wildlife population control measures related to negative effects of ungulate overabundance (negative impacts on vegetation and other wildlife species and disease transmission to livestock) in 2 agroforestry national parks in Spain. We used latent‐class and willingness‐to‐pay in space models to analyze survey results. Two percent of respondents thought a national park should have no human intervention even if lack of management may cause environmental degradation, whereas 95% of respondents favored efforts to reduce damage caused by overabundant ungulate species. We estimated human well‐being losses of survey respondents when sustainable effects of deer overabundance on the environment became unsustainable effects and well‐being gains when sustainable effects transitioned to no visible effects. We found that the type of wildlife‐control program was a very relevant issue for the respondents; indirect control in which killing was avoided was the preferred action. Sixty‐six percent of respondents agreed with the option of hunters paying for culling animals to reduce ungulate impacts rather than management cost coming out of taxes, whereas 19% of respondents were against this option and willing to pay for other solutions in national parks. Our results suggest that killing wildlife in national parks could be a socially acceptable tool to manage overabundance problems in certain contexts, but it could also generate social conflicts.
Simple Summary
An online survey of 825 U.S. residents was conducted to determine their views on hunting, hunters, and hunting practices within the United States. Overall, 87% of respondents agreed that it was acceptable to hunt for food. However, only 37% agreed that it was acceptable to hunt for a trophy. Those who knew hunters, participated in hunting-related activities, or visited fairs or livestock operations had more favorable opinions on hunting or hunters.
Abstract
Public acceptance of hunting and hunting practices is an important human dimension of wildlife management in the United States. Researchers surveyed 825 U.S. residents in an online questionnaire about their views of hunting, hunters, and hunting practices. Eighty-seven percent of respondents from the national survey agreed that it was acceptable to hunt for food whereas 37% agreed that it was acceptable to hunt for a trophy. Over one-quarter of respondents did not know enough about hunting over bait, trapping, and captive hunts to form an opinion about whether the practice reduced animal welfare. Chi-square tests were used to explore relationships between perceptions of hunters and hunting practices and demographics. Those who knew hunters, participated in hunting-related activities, visited fairs or livestock operations, or were males who had more favorable opinions on hunting. A logistic regression model showed that not knowing a hunter was a statistically significant negative predictor of finding it acceptable to hunt; owning a pet was statistically significant and negative for approving of hunting for a trophy.
With declining survey response rates, the Drop-Off/Pick-Up (DOPU) survey method has been suggested as an alternative to mail, phone or internet modes. We use a major household DOPU survey to explore the impacts of both implementation method and neighborhood context on survey response rates. The survey was carried out in 23 neighborhoods in northern Utah chosen to represent distinctive configurations of socioeconomic, demographic, land use, and built environments that comprise rural to urban residential communities in the region. Overall, the survey achieved a 63.2 percent response rate, but this varied from 33 to 79 percent across our study neighborhoods. Contact and cooperation rates also differed widely across the study locations. Response rate indicators are related to specific DOPU methods and to some characteristics of housing and neighborhood characteristics. For over a century social scientists have relied on the use of probability sampling and surveys to gather information and make inferences about characteristics, attitudes, and behaviors of larger populations of individuals, households or organizations. To be most effective, probability sample surveys need *
The study of cognition can provide key insights into the social dimension of coupled social-ecological systems. Values are a fundamental aspect of cognition, which have largely been neglected within the social-ecological systems literature. Values represent the deeply held, emotional aspects of people’s cognition and can complement the use of other cognitive constructs, such as knowledge andmental models, which have so far been better represented in this area of study.We provide a reviewof the different conceptualizations of values that are relevant to the study of human-environment interactions: held, assigned, and relational values. We discuss the important contribution values research can make toward understanding how social-ecological systems function and to improving the management of these systems in a practical sense. In recognizing that values are often poorly defined within the social-ecological systems literature, as in other fields, we aim to guide researchers and practitioners in ensuring clarity when using the term in their research. This can support constructive dialogue and collaboration among researchers who engage in values research to build knowledge of the role and function of values, and hence cognition more broadly, within a social-ecological systems context.
We analysed the fishermen’s perceptions on the South American sea lions (Otaria flavescens) and its interactions with the local fishery close to the Wildlife Refuge of Ilha dos Lobos, a marine protected area in southern Brazil. Sea lions prey upon the same resources targeted by the fishermen. They repeatedly hunt on the nets and consequently damage them. In response, fishermen persecute sea lions. However, in conflicts with high-profile animals, the perceived damage often exceeds the actual evidence. Results from 100 interviews revealed that fishermen’s perception of damage and their attitudes were affected by age, hierarchical position in the crew, if fishing was the only source of income, and level of formal education. Greater perception of damage and more negative attitude were found among older, less educated sailor fishermen who had no other source of income besides fishing. The average fisherman had a relatively good knowledge about sea lions, but also a negative attitude towards them. We recommend actions addressing these negative attitudes through environmental education, with emphasis on adjusting exaggerated perceptions of impact and the potential of the species for wildlife tourism, as a vital step towards the conciliation of sustainable fisheries and O. flavescens conservation in the Brazilian coast.
Conservation success is often predicated on local support for conservation which is strongly influenced by perceptions of the impacts that are experienced by local communities and opinions of management and governance. Marine protected areas (MPAs) are effective conservation and fisheries management tools that can also have a broad array of positive and negative social, economic, cultural, and political impacts on local communities. Drawing on results from a mixed-methods study of communities on the Andaman Coast of Thailand, this paper explores perceptions of MPA impacts on community livelihood resources (assets) and outcomes as well as MPA governance and management. The area includes 17 National Marine Parks (NMPs) that are situated near rural communities that are highly dependent on coastal resources. Interview participants perceived NMPs to have limited to negative impacts on fisheries and agricultural livelihoods and negligible benefits for tourism livelihoods. Perceived impacts on livelihoods were felt to result from NMPs undermining access to or lacking support for development of cultural, social, political, financial, natural, human, physical, and political capital assets. Conflicting views emerged on whether NMPs resulted in negative or positive marine or terrestrial conservation outcomes. Perceptions of NMP governance and management processes were generally negative. These results point to some necessary policy improvements and actions to ameliorate: the relationship between the NMP and communities, NMP management and governance processes, and socio-economic and conservation outcomes.
The following paper presents current thinking and research on fit indices for structural equation modelling. The paper presents a selection of fit indices that are widely regarded as the most informative indices available to researchers. As well as outlining each of these indices, guidelines are presented on their use. The paper also provides reporting strategies of these indices and concludes with a discussion on the future of fit indices.
Environmental and societal problems related to energy use have spurred the development of sustainable energy technologies, such as wind mills, carbon capture and storage, and hydrogen vehicles. Public acceptance of these technologies is crucial for their successful introduction into society. Although various studies have investigated technology acceptance, most technology acceptance studies focused on a limited set of factors that can influence public acceptance, and were not based on a comprehensive framework including key factors influencing technology acceptance. This paper puts forward a comprehensive framework of energy technology acceptance, based on a review of psychological theories and on empirical technology acceptance studies. The framework aims to explain the intention to act in favor or against new sustainable energy technologies, which is assumed to be influenced by attitude, social norms, perceived behavioral control, and personal norm. In the framework, attitude is influenced by the perceived costs, risks and benefits, positive and negative feelings in response to the technology, trust, procedural fairness and distributive fairness. Personal norm is influenced by perceived costs, risks and benefits, outcome efficacy and awareness of adverse consequences of not accepting the new technology. The paper concludes with discussing the applicability of the framework.
This paper develops a conceptual framework for studying human values toward wildlife. A measurement instrument for assessing basic wildlife beliefs and wildlife value orientations concerning issues of enduring relevance to wildlife management and planning was developed using the domain sampling approach. Results of confirmatory factor analysis and reliability analysis indicate that a reliable and internally consistent measurement tool for evaluating basic wildlife beliefs and wildlife value orientations was developed. Structural equation analyses conducted using LISREL 8 indicated the value orientations predicted attitudes well and that attitudes largely acted as a mediator in the relationship between wildlife value orientations and behavioral intention. These results provide support for the hierarchical model of social cognition that forms the foundation of the conceptual framework for studying wildlife value orientations.
The most troubling problems in conservation - deforestation, land degradation, biodiversity loss, and climate change - Are difficult to isolate and examine as independent phenomena. Increasingly, the view from science casts these as outcomes from complex interactions within and between human society and its biophysical context. Reductionist science is poorly suited for representing such complexity, and that has given rise to multidisciplinary, multi-level systems approaches. This increase in multidisciplinary approaches has created a transformative wave of change as the existing institutions of conservation science absorb, adapt, and give way to innovations that can advance such approaches.
The influence of trust and confidence as personality traits on the perception of various hazards was examined. The distinction between trust and confidence is a key element of certain theories of co‐operation, but this dual‐mode approach has had little impact on empirical studies. General trust is the belief that other people can be relied on. General confidence is the conviction that everything is under control, and uncertainty is low. It was hypothesized that general trust and general confidence negatively influence risk perception. The hypothesis was tested using data from a random sample of 388 persons living in Switzerland. High levels of trust and confidence reduced perceived risks, compared with low levels of trust and confidence. Age was positively correlated with perceived risk. Gender was a significant predictor for technological hazards, but not for non‐technological hazards. Females perceived more risks than males. Results provide strong evidence for the hypothesis that general trust and general confidence have an impact on the perception of new technologies. Practical implications of the results are discussed.
This article examines the value attitude behavior cognitive hierarchy as it pertains to wildland preservation. Data for this investigation were obtained from a random sample of Colorado residents (n=960). A biocentric/anthropocentric value orientation continuum was developed and examined empirically. Consistent with previous research, confirmatory factor analysis and reliability analysis suggested that a respondent's value orientation toward wildlands can be positioned along this single continuum. As predicted by theory, a structural equation analysis demonstrated that the biocentric/anthropocentric value orientation continuum predicted a respondent's attitude toward the preservation of wildlands, and that the attitude fully mediated the relationship between value orientation and behavioral intention to vote for wildland preservation. Overall, this article provides empirical support for using the cognitive hierarchy when attempting to understand and predict responses to natural resource issues.
It was postulated that shared values determine social trust in institutions and persons related to a technology: One has trust in people holding similar salient values. Furthermore, it was hypothesized that social trust has a positive influence on perceived benefits and a negative impact on perceived risks. Results of a survey of University of Zürich students indicated that the proposed causal model explained perception of pesticides, nuclear power, and artificial sweetener very well. When social trust was controlled, the relation between risks and benefits perceived diminished. Results indicate that social trust is a key predictive factor of the perceived risks and benefits of a technology, and provide support for the salient values similarity theory of social trust.
Human–wildlife conflict has emerged as the central vocabulary for cases requiring balance between resource demands of humans and wildlife. This phrase is problematic because, given traditional definitions of conflict, it positions wildlife as conscious human antagonists. We used content analysis of wildlife conservation publications and professional meeting presentations to explore the use of the phrase, human–wildlife conflict, and compared competing models explaining its usage. Of the 422 publications and presentations using human–wildlife conflict, only 1 reflected a traditional definition of conflict, >95% referred to reports of animal damage to entities human care about, and <4% referred to human–human conflict. Usage of human–wildlife conflict was related to species type (herbivores with human food, carnivores with human safety, meso-mammals with property), development level of the nation where the study occurred (less developed nations with human food and more developed nations with human safety and property damage), and whether the study occurred on private lands or protected areas (protected areas with human–human conflict and other areas with property damage). We argue that the phrase, human–wildlife conflict, is detrimental to coexistence between humans and wildlife, and suggest comic reframing to facilitate a more productive interpretation of human–wildlife relationships.
The Moray Firth Seal Management Plan (MFSMP) was introduced in Scotland in 2005 as a pilot for resolving conflict between Atlantic salmon fisheries and conservation imperatives for protected harbour and grey seals. This adaptive co-management model is now being applied nationally through the Marine (Scotland) Act (2010). However, no information exists on salmon fishery stakeholders' perceptions of seal predation impacts and related costs, which could influence the success of the MFSMP and other similar initiatives. In 2006 a questionnaire survey of the 95 salmon rod fisheries in seven major Moray Firth rivers was undertaken, and all 20 active salmon netting stations in the Firth. Forty-five fishery owners, 39 ghillies, 120 anglers and 11 netsmen (representing 17 netting stations) responded. The majority (81%) believed that seals had a significant or moderate impact on stocks and catches, 77% believed that all seals were responsible and 47% supported seal culling. Seals were sighted by 38% of rod fisheries, and 18% lost angler days from seal interference. Overall, 0.2% of total reported angler days were lost annually. The estimated direct cost of seal interference for responding rod fisheries was £14,960 annum-1, and losses of catches and damage to nets was £16,500 annum-1 for responding netsmen. Stakeholders' perceptions were largely inconsistent with their low direct costs and the aims of the MFSMP. Possible reasons for this are discussed, and implications for the governance of future adaptive co-management initiatives for seal-fishery conflict.
A complex controversy emerged when the grey seal population in the Baltic Sea recovered after decades of stagnation. The seals now cause substantial economic losses to coastal fisheries. The paper analyses the attempts taken in Finland to mitigate the problems of fishermen. The mitigation attempts include the hunting of seals, fishing technology development, economic compensations and more comprehensive management approaches. These measures are discussed in light of the long-term sustainability and adaptability of a coastal fishery. This question is important with respect to further discussions on the possibility of the coastal fishery’s co-existence with seals and sheds light on more general goals for the adaptability in the management of social–ecological systems. The paper concludes that the more comprehensive measures taken have acknowledged the need to enhance the fishery’s adaptability, but the managerial approach they represent falls short of the requirements for successful adaptive management, especially in terms of embedding the management into specific coastal contexts.
Conflicts with fisheries are the major threat to South American sea lions (Otaria flavescens). The understanding of the gap between perceived economic impact by the fishermen and actual impact on the activity is crucial to avoid retaliations to the species. This is the first study conducted in Brazil that simultaneously assessed these both aspects of this complex issue. To assess the fisheries economic revenue and economic loss caused by sea lions, we conducted 58 onboard surveys between 2011 and 2012, covering 161 fishing operations. To assess socio-economic characteristics, perceptions of economic loss caused by the sea lions, and temporal changes in the fishing activity, we interviewed one hundred fishermen. Onboard observations indicated that sea lions interact with fishing boats throughout the year. This finding is in agreement with the reports of most fishermen (69%) who believed that this interaction occurs every day and the species is always present during fishing operations (80%). On the other hand, while onboard surveys revealed that only 3% of loss in the annual productivity was due to predation by sea lions (~US 62,279.00), fishermen assigned a disproportionate economic loss to sea lions: 88% of the respondents believed that each sea lion consumed around 100 kg of fish per interaction. This misperception and consequent conflict would decrease if fishermen were aware of the actual losses caused by sea lions. To mitigate conflict, an effective communication strategy and open dialogue between fishermen and the local marine Consulting Council is recommended.
Marine mammals and coastal fisheries are two features commonly associated with thriving marine environments, but it is also a case of wildlife impact on human interests. This paper analyses the seal-fisheries encounter in a Swedish Baltic Sea fishery. The problem concerns seals eating fish from the fishing gear which causes considerable economic losses to small-scale fishermen. This mixed-method study addresses local attitudes towards management measures that might be introduced. A questionnaire was sent to all households in three traditional fishing villages and interviews were conducted with local stakeholders. The results show a consensus that something needs to be done or the local fishery cannot continue. Economic compensation for lost catches is viewed as a short-term strategy, while investment subsidies for seal-proof gear are considered positive but problematic due to low efficiency of the new gear. The management measure viewed as most positive in the local context is hunting. In general, a more active management is perceived as urgent for the survival of the small-scale coastal fishery in the studied area.
Management of charismatic, locally overabundant, wildlife such as koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) and kangaroos (Macropus spp.) has led to public outcry on multiple occasions. While this public opinion has been influencing decision-making, evidence on what the general public thinks to support this decision-making has been largely lacking.
Here we quantified the opinions (n=1,148) of a representative sample of the Australian public on the acceptability of a range of management options for managing overabundant populations of native koalas, kangaroos and the introduced feral horses (Equus caballus). Our survey also measured environmental value orientations (introducing a new ‘animalistic’ dimension to the widely used biospheric-altruistic-egoistic orientations scale) and beliefs about human-wildlife relationships to determine drivers of acceptability. Lastly, we examined the effect of providing ecological information on acceptability by randomly selecting half the koala respondents to receive additional information on the impacts of koala overabundance.
We found significant differences in the acceptability of different management options within and across species. While the public understood the need for intervention, lethal control options such as culling were generally considered unacceptable in koalas, but acceptable in kangaroos. The acceptability of culling koalas increased with the provision of information, but remained unacceptable overall. Both values and beliefs were useful in explaining the acceptability of different management options. Empirical evidence of public opinion such as that presented here will aid decision-makers in engaging the public and reduce conflict by revealing the basis of opinion in people’s values and beliefs, leading to better management decisions and conservation outcomes.
Direct exploitation of resources, climate change, and land pollution drive marine degradation. Influencing these drivers are political, cultural and economic systems, which are guided by people’s values, beliefs, and behaviours. To tackle this conservation challenge and make oceans more sustainable, we need to understand how people think and act in relation to marine issues. This article examined marine value orientations, beliefs and personal norms. Self-administered questionnaires were randomly delivered to coastal residents in Newfoundland, Canada (n = 776, response rate = 49%). The structural equation model predicted 86% of the variance in personal norms. Newfoundland residents felt a moral obligation to act in favour of a healthy ocean when they care for the ocean (relational value), felt responsible for their actions, and were aware of the negative impacts of humans can have on marine environments. Relational, instrumental, and intrinsic value orientations were also related to knowledge of human impacts on the ocean. The results imply that efforts aimed at inspiring people to engage in sustainable behaviours should be grounded on relational values, such as care and concern for the ocean.
Australia is considered world-leading in sustainable fisheries management. Despite this, public perceptions and trust in how fisheries are managed vary widely. Existing models of trust and community acceptance in extractive industries suggest transparently reporting on a wider range of sustainability issues than resource use and condition levels, or the status of target stocks in the case of fisheries, as a potential way to build public awareness and trust. Public perceptions of sustainability can be narrow or broad and related to different world views and perspectives about what is important. Here we investigate whether approaches such as Australia’s conceptual
‘Healthcheck’ framework for fisheries sustainability reporting, could contribute to increasing public trust in fishery management. Interviews with 21 people who currently use (or would use) fisheries information in their professional work revealed interest in a wide range of sustainability issues and a desire for more easily accessible
and trusted information. The interviews also revealed four common themes: Trust and distrust; Sustainability concerns and interpretations; Conflicts and values; and Fisheries information sources and knowledge gaps. These themes emphasise the need to take a broad view of sustainability and communication in fishery management,
across the range of actors involved, to collaborate widely and build more engagement and relationships with the public in different forms. We use these findings to propose how the established model of trust and community acceptance of natural resource-based sectors could be applied to commercial fisheries and relate to other initiatives,
such as the Sustainable Development Goals.
Between 2010 and 2016, the Orkney Islands Council, Highland Council and Marine Scotland have collaborated to develop a pilot Marine Spatial Plan for the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters in Scotland. This paper explores the challenges of marine spatial planning processes by looking at the possibilities for fisheries communities to mobilize their
social capital – in the form of bonding, bridging or linking – in order to re-position and to empower themselves in these processes. This paper aims to uncover the resilience of local communities that deploy social capital in order to influence MSP processes and safeguard their own interests. For this article ten weeks of qualitative fieldwork in the form of indepth interviews and participant observation with stakeholders of the pilot marine spatial plan were conducted on the
Orkney Islands in Scotland. The strong bonding social capital among fishermen in Orkney has resulted in a resilient community identity which allows for collaboration and self-organization, but also creates a defensive mentality which does not favor linking. Furthermore, a lack of trust in governmental authorities inhibits the mobilization of linking
social capital among fishermen, obstructing the ability to access power through cross-scale connections. In response the fisheries community uses bridging social capital outside governance arenas to access networks and mobilize resources to strengthen its socio-economic and political position in support of future linking social capital. Researching this complex interrelation and functioning of social capital uncovers some of the social dimensions and socio-institutional constraints for fisheries engagement with and power in marine spatial planning.
There is growing recognition that interdisciplinary approaches that account for both ecological and social processes are necessary to successfully address human-wildlife interactions. However, such approaches are hindered by challenges in aligning data types, communicating across disciplines, and applying social science information to conservation actions. To meet these challenges, we propose a conceptual model that adopts a social-ecological systems approach and integrates social and ecological theory to identify the multiple, nested levels of influence on both human and animal behavior. By accounting for a diverse array of influences and feedback mechanisms between social and ecological systems, this model fulfills a need for approaches that treat social and ecological processes with equal depth and facilitates a comprehensive understanding of the drivers of human and animal behaviors that perpetuate human-wildlife interactions. We apply this conceptual model to our work on human-black bear conflicts in Colorado, USA to demonstrate its utility. Using this example, we identify key lessons and offer guidance to researchers and conservation practitioners for applying integrated approaches to other human-wildlife systems.
Trust is an important element of social capital that is increasingly recognized as integral to effective natural resource management, yet the concept remains relatively unexplored in the environmental social sciences. In large, complex resource systems where numerous and diverse stakeholders receive information from a variety of sources, managers must make efficient use of limited financial and human resources by communicating effectively with the public and targeting engagement efforts to build trust where needed. Using Australia's Great Barrier Reef (GBR) as a case study, we investigated to what degree stakeholders trust reef-related information from five sources: research institutions, non-government organizations (NGOs), the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA), industry groups, and friends, family and coworkers. Additionally, we explored whether trust is demographically differentiated among resource users (n = 2985), considering four demographic variables: age, gender, residential location (north, central, and south), and stakeholder group (tourism operators, commercial fishers, indigenous residents, and non-indigenous residents). Overall, research institutions were the most trusted source of information, followed by friends, family, and coworkers, NGOs, the GBRMPA, and industry groups. Trust did not differ with gender, and was negatively related to age for all sources of information except friends, family and coworkers. Stakeholders living in the northern GBR region were less trusting of research institutions compared to those living in the central and southern regions. Finally, for most information sources, trust was differentiated across stakeholder groups, with commercial fishers reporting the lowest levels of trust in the GBRMPA, research institutions, and non-government organizations. In demonstrating the heterogeneous nature of trust in the GBR, this study presents a necessary first step towards developing targeted strategies to build trust, improve communication, and promote stewardship in a large, complex natural resource system.
With recovery of seal populations after their near extirpation from the coastal waters of Massachusetts, USA, controversy has emerged over seal-fishery interactions. To assess stakeholder attitudes toward management of seal-fishery conflicts and marine mammal protection, questionnaires were administered to the general public, on-site anglers, and tourists on Nantucket Island. All three groups agreed that the interests of the ecosystem should be the top management consideration and supported marine mammal protection. Opposition to lethal management was found among all groups, with tourists most opposed, followed by the public and on-site anglers. While non-lethal management received more support than lethal management, some support for leaving seals alone was found, particularly among tourists. No differences were found among stakeholder groups for non-lethal methods of seal management, with the exception of the scenario of using non-lethal methods to reduce population levels. These findings suggest that management of seal-fishery conflicts must respect ethical and ecological concerns to promote co-existence.
Human interactions with wildlife are a defining experience of human existence. These interactions can be positive or negative. People compete with wildlife for food and resources, and have eradicated dangerous species; coopted and domesticated valuable species; and applied a wide range of social, behavioral, and technical approaches to reduce negative interactions with wildlife. The scale of conflict is enormous and has led to the extinction and reduction of numerous species and uncountable human deaths and economic losses. Recent advances in our understanding of conflict have led to a growing number of positive conservation and coexistence outcomes. I summarize and synthesize factors that contribute to conflict, approaches that mitigate conflict and encourage coexistence, and emerging trends and debates. Fertile areas for scholarship include scale and complexity, models and scenarios, understanding generalizable patterns, expanding boundaries of what is considered conflict, using new tools and technologies, information sharing and collaboration, and the implications of global change. The time may be ripe to identify a new field, anthrotherology, that brings together scholars and practitioners from different disciplinary perspectives to address human–wildlife conflict and coexistence. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Environment and Resources Volume 41 is October 17, 2016. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
The commercial seal hunt has faced significant opposition through campaigns and public opinion. Based on this opposition the European Union (EU) adopted a regime in 2009, effectively shutting down the EU market for commercial seal products. This ban appears to be based on a European moral standard relating to the welfare of animals and the EU has successfully defended this claim under the Dispute Settlement Process of the World Trade Organization (WTO). This paper critically examines whether such a moral standard exists or whether it is merely an opinion without deeper moral contexts. It further discusses the problems relating to drawing moral conclusions based on ‘public opinion’ and responses to a possible accompanying ‘moral standard’. The paper delves into the legal dimension of a ‘European morality’ and discusses in how far moral concerns have been
dealt with under the WTO and before EU Courts. It becomes evident that while arguing for a European moral standard under the WTO, the EU has shown in European case law that the determination of moral standards rests with the nation states.
This study describes operational interactions between coastal gillnet fishing and South American sea lions ( Otaria flavescens ) off the southern Brazilian coast.
In total, 263 onboard surveys were carried out during three periods between 1992 and 2012 in fishing boats from two harbours on the northern coast of Rio Grande do Sul State: Passo de Torres (29°19'S; 49°43'W) and Imbé (29°58'S; 50°07'W).
Interactions of South American sea lions were observed in 116 (24.0%) out of 484 fishing operations. These interactions were more frequent in fishing boats from Passo de Torres (frequency of occurrence FO = 42.8%) than those from Imbé (FO = 14.8%; P < 0.001) and during autumn and winter months.
Interactions between South American sea lions and fishing activities with fixed bottom gillnets in Imbé were most frequent during period III of the study (2011/2012) (FO = 52.0%; P = 0.032).
These results demonstrated that interactions are not as high as reported/complained about by the local fishermen who tend to exaggerate the impact of these interactions.
It is suggested that reduced fish stock and increased fishing effort during recent decades is raising the frequency of encounters with South American sea lions during fishing activities off the southern Brazilian coast. Therefore, the implementation of fishery management measures that reduce fishing effort and that integrate environmental education programmes are essential to reduce conflicts between fishing activities and the sea lions in the region.
Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Canada’s commercial seal hunt has been the subject of controversy for over 40 years. Much of the debate has centered on the question of humane killing. The reality, however, is that debates about commercial sealing are political debates involving conflicting values and ethics. We argue that the time has come for conservationists, scientists, managers of free-living animals, bureaucrats, politicians, and society at large to think beyond populations and ecosystems and consider also the well-being of individual, sentient animals. The fundamental question then becomes, “Can commercial seal hunts be morally justified in the twenty-first century?”
In a recent article in this journal (Butterworth and Richardson. A review of animal welfare implications of the Canadian commercial seal hunt. Marine Policy 2013;38:457–469), the authors argued that “generally accepted principles of humane slaughter cannot be carried out effectively or consistently during the Canadian commercial seal hunt”. The present review purports to show that these authors' conclusions were incorrect because they were highly selective in their treatment of the information available and made no attempt to consider other perspectives. In addition, their reliance on anecdotal video sequences to support some of their points was seriously flawed since a vast proportion of these sequences failed to meet fundamental criteria of scientific rigor. The article by Butterworth and Richardson [5] failed to provide an unbiased presentation of the available data and therefore did not bring further clarity to the debate on the Canadian commercial seal hunt.
Social construction is the virtue ascribed to a subject by the general public; along with political power, it influences the allocation of public policy benefits. Nonhuman species are socially constructed by humans, and political power is held in trust for them by human interest groups. Our goal was to determine if the allocation of benefits to endangered species is consistent with social construction and political power. We assessed the social construction of broad types of species using survey data collected from a national sample of 643 respondents. We found that plants, birds, mammals, and fish have a distinctly more positive social construction than reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, and microorganisms. Respondents also indicated, however, that all nonhuman species should be conserved and that ecological importance and rarity are the most important factors to consider in prioritizing species for conservation. We gauged the political power affiliated with types of species by the number of nongovernmental organizations representing them. Birds have a substantial advantage over all other types. We employed a political science model that identifies policy subjects based on social construction and political power and identified birds, mammals, and fish as “advantaged” subjects, plants as “dependents,” and reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, and microorganisms as “deviants.” Numerous exceptions, especially among mammals, are best described as “contenders.” Allocation of the benefits of the U.S. Endangered Species Act is consistent with predictions of the model. A myriad of values converge to favor birds, mammals, fish, and plants in the policy arena. The most promising opportunities for species conservation in the political arena, however, may be with plants and amphibians, for which the ratio of social construction to benefit allocation is highest.
Opinión Pública, Poder Politico, y Ubiación de Beneficios para Especies Amenazadas
La opinión pública y el poder político influencian la distribución de beneficios hacia los sujetos humano de la política. La opinión pública sobre especies no humanas está también determinada por el ser humanos, y el poder político asociado a estas especies se ejerce a través de grupos interesados en ellas. Nuestro objetivo fue determinar si la distribución de beneficios dirigidos a especies en peligro de extinción es consecuente con la opinión pública y el poder político. Realizamos una evaluación de la opinión pública sobre grupos amplios de tipos de especies usando datos de encuestas nacionales. Encontramos que las plantas, las aves, los mamíferos, y los peces tienen una opinión pública claramente más positiva que los reptiles, los anfibios, los invertebrados y los microorganismos. Sin embargo, las personas que respondieron la encuesta indicaron que es esencial conservar a todas las especies animales no humanas, y que la importancia ecológica y la rareza son los factores más importantes a considerar al priorizar las especies para su conservación. Medimos el poder político asociado a tipos de especies por medio del número de organizaciones no gubernamentales que los representan. Las aves tienen una importancia substancial en relación a todos los otros tipos. Usamos un modelo desarrollado para ciencias políticas que identifica los sujetos de la política en base a la opinión pública y el poder político, e identificamos a las aves, los mamíferos, y los peces como sujetos “con ventaja,” las plantas como sujetos “dependientes,” y los reptiles, los anfibios, los invertebrados y los microorganismos como sujetos “desviados de lo común.” Numerosas excepciones, especialmente entre mamíferos, son descritas como “contendientes.” Las discrepancias entre la valuación pública y la distribución de recursos para esfuerzos de recuperación son consistentes con las predicciones del modelo. Se concluye que hay un gran número de valores que convergen a favor de las aves, los mamíferos, los peces, y las plantas en el terreno político. Sin embargo, las oportunidades más prometedoras para la conservación de especies en el terreno político pueden estar en las plantas y los anfibios, para los que el cociente entre la opinión pública y la distribución de beneficios es la más alta.
This article develops a conceptual framework for advancing theories of environ- mentally significant individual behavior and reports on the attempts of the author's research group and others to develop such a theory. It discusses defini- tions of environmentally significant behavior; classifies the behaviors and their causes; assesses theories of environmentalism, focusing especially on value-belief-norm theory; evaluates the relationship between environmental concern and behavior; and summarizes evidence on the factors that determine environmentally significant behaviors and that can effectively alter them. The article concludes by presenting some major propositions supported by available research and some principles for guiding future research and informing the design of behavioral programs for environmental protection. Recent developments in theory and research give hope for building the under- standing needed to effectively alter human behaviors that contribute to environ- mental problems. This article develops a conceptual framework for the theory of environmentally significant individual behavior, reports on developments toward such a theory, and addresses five issues critical to building a theory that can inform efforts to promote proenvironmental behavior.
Human–wildlife conflict is one of the most critical threats facing many wildlife species today, and the topic is receiving increasing attention from conservation biologists. Direct wildlife damage is commonly cited as the main driver of conflict, and many tools exist for reducing such damage. However, significant conflict often remains even after damage has been reduced, suggesting that conflict requires novel, comprehensive approaches for long-term resolution. Although most mitigation studies investigate only the technical aspects of conflict reduction, peoples' attitudes towards wildlife are complex, with social factors as diverse as religious affiliation, ethnicity and cultural beliefs all shaping conflict intensity. Moreover, human–wildlife conflicts are often manifestations of underlying human–human conflicts, such as between authorities and local people, or between people of different cultural backgrounds. Despite evidence that social factors can be more important in driving conflict than wildlife damage incurred, they are often ignored in conflict studies. Developing a broader awareness of conflict drivers will advance understanding of the patterns and underlying processes behind this critical conservation issue. In this paper, I review a wide variety of case studies to show how social factors strongly influence perceptions of human–wildlife conflict, and highlight how mitigation approaches should become increasingly innovative and interdisciplinary in order to enable people to move from conflict towards coexistence.
This paper examines factors influencing the acceptability of energy policies aimed to reduce the emission of CO2 by households. More specifically, it is studied to what extent the value–belief–norm theory of environmentalism (VBN theory; Stern, [(2000). Toward a coherent theory of environmentally significant behavior. Journal of Social Issues, 56(3), 407–424.]) is successful in explaining acceptability judgements. In contrast to previous studies, we test the full VBN theory. A questionnaire study was conducted among 112 Dutch respondents. Results confirmed the causal order of the variables in VBN theory, moving from relative stable general values to beliefs about human–environment relations, which in turn affect behaviour specific beliefs and norms, and acceptability judgements, respectively. As expected, all variables were significantly related to the next variable in the causal chain. Biospheric values were also significantly related to feelings of moral obligation to reduce household energy consumption when intermediate variables were controlled for. Furthermore, as hypothesized, personal norms mediated the relationship between AR and acceptability judgements, AR beliefs mediated the relationship between AC beliefs and personal norms, AC beliefs mediated the relationship between NEP and AR beliefs, and NEP mediated the relationship between values and AC beliefs.
The roots of the Canadian harp seal hunt can be traced to the 16th Century. But in the mid-20th century, opposition to the commercial hunt became widespread after television images of seal pups being killed with clubs on the pack ice off the coast of Newfoundland were broadcast around the world. International conservation groups, animal welfare groups, animal rights groups, and foreign governments have been calling for the Canadian government to end the commercial seal hunt on the grounds that it is inhumane and that harvest levels are unsustainable. The Canadian government defends the traditional practices of hunting harp seals, argues that seal pelts are an important source of income for sealers, and insists that the killing methods are humane and that harvest levels are sustainable. Emotions run high on both sides of the debate. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate whether or not there is a purely economic argument for ending Canada's commercial seal hunt. The paper finds that the benefits of ending the commercial hunt exceed the costs, but not unequivocally. However, the paper argues there should be a higher criterion—the Pareto criterion—for ending the commercial hunt; that is the hunt should end only if winners compensate the losers. The paper goes on to argue that an effective way to satisfy this criterion is to introduce a system of individual transferable quotas (ITQs) and let the market reveal the value of the commercial seal hunt. In addition to many other advantages such as improving the safety and efficiency of the hunt, the ITQ market could provide a mechanism by which those willing to pay to end the hunt could do so directly to sealers thereby ensuring that the hunt is scaled back or ultimately ended only when it is economically efficient and unambiguously welfare-improving.
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