Browsing by Author "Guidetti, Paolo"
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- From sea monsters to charismatic megafauna: changes in perception and use of large marine animalsPublication . Mazzoldi, Carlotta; Bearzi, Giovanni; Brito, Cristina; Carvalho, Inês; Desiderà, Elena; Endrizzi, Lara; Freitas, Luis; Giacomello, Eva; Giovos, Ioannis; Guidetti, Paolo; Ressurreição, Adriana; Tull, Malcolm; MacDiarmid, AlisonMarine megafauna has always elicited contrasting feelings. In the past, large marine animals were often depicted as fantastic mythological creatures and dangerous monsters, while also arousing human curiosity. Marine megafauna has been a valuable resource to exploit, leading to the collapse of populations and local extinctions. In addition, some species have been perceived as competitors of fishers for marine resources and were often actively culled. Since the 1970s, there has been a change in the perception and use of megafauna. The growth of marine tourism, increasingly oriented towards the observation of wildlife, has driven a shift from extractive to non-extractive use, supporting the conservation of at least some species of marine megafauna. In this paper, we review and compare the changes in the perception and use of three megafaunal groups, cetaceans, elasmobranchs and groupers, with a special focus on European cultures. We highlight the main drivers and the timing of these changes, compare different taxonomic groups and species, and highlight the implications for management and conservation. One of the main drivers of the shift in perception, shared by all the three groups of megafauna, has been a general increase in curiosity towards wildlife, stimulated inter alia by documentaries (from the early 1970s onwards), and also promoted by easy access to scuba diving. At the same time, environmental campaigns have been developed to raise public awareness regarding marine wildlife, especially cetaceans, a process greatly facilitated by the rise of Internet and the World Wide Web. Currently, all the three groups (cetaceans, elasmobranchs and groupers) may represent valuable resources for ecotourism. Strikingly, the economic value of live specimens may exceed their value for human consumption. A further change in perception involving all the three groups is related to a growing understanding and appreciation of their key ecological role. The shift from extractive to non-extractive use has the potential for promoting species conservation and local economic growth. However, the change in use may not benefit the original stakeholders (e.g. fishers or whalers) and there may therefore be a case for providing compensation for disadvantaged stakeholders. Moreover, it is increasingly clear that even non-extractive use may have a negative impact on marine megafauna, therefore regulations are needed.
- Fully protected marine areas linked to reduced home ranges of fishesPublication . Ohayon, Sarah; Abecasis, David; Almeida, Pedro R.; Alós, Josep; Aspillaga, Eneko; Belo, Ana Filipa; Costa, José Lino; Di Franco, Antonio; Di Lorenzo, Manfredi; Ferguson, Adrian; Guidetti, Paolo; Kraft, Sebastian; La Mesa, Gabriele; Olsen, Esben Moland; Parsons, Darren; Pickholtz, Renanel; Quintella, Bernardo R.; Silva, Ana Filipa; Taylor, Brett M.; Villegas‐Ríos, David; Belmaker, JonathanHome range size is a fundamental trait that can affect the probability of fish being harvested and, at the same time, may be affected by fishing. The relationship between home range size and fishing will impact the effectiveness of fully protected areas (FPAs), as it will influence the number of fish moving into fished areas, affecting both spillover and edge effects. One hypothesis is that individuals within FPAs will present reduced home range size relative to individuals in fished areas. This pattern can be driven by demographic selection (e.g. fishing of individuals with large home ranges leaving the FPAs), improved habitat requiring less foraging movements, or behavioural changes associated with reduced fishing threats. To test the relationship between home range size and protection, we compiled 1143 individual-level home range sizes based on acoustic tracking, covering 17 species from 11 FPAs in 7 countries, with information on distance from FPA borders. A dichotomic analysis (in/out of FPAs) did not support a significant change in the home range size between FPAs and fished areas. However, continuous analysis across the FPA borders demonstrated reduced home range size within the FPAs. We did not find an effect of FPA age or size on this pattern. While we cannot pinpoint the underlying mechanism for the pattern revealed, we suggest behavioural changes as the main driver for reduced home range within FPAs. This mechanism will lead to more resident populations within FPAs, reducing fishing mortality within FPAs yet limiting spillover benefits to adjacent fisheries.