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- Interactions between air-breathing marine megafauna and artisanal fisheries in Southern Iberian Atlantic waters: results from an interview survey to fishersPublication . Alexandre, Sofia; Marçalo, Ana; Marques, Tiago A.; Pires, Alexandra; Rangel, Mafalda; Ressurreição, Adriana; Monteiro, Pedro; Erzini, Karim; Gonçalves, Jorge Manuel SantosThe coastal waters off Western Iberia are an important fishing ground and a marine megafauna foraging area. Overlap between fishery target species and the diet of several air breathing marine megafauna species can lead to negative interactions and consequently conservation and economic issues. This work aimed to assess marine megafauna (cetaceans, marine birds, and marine turtles) – fishery interactions through face-to-face interviews to fishers of the local and coastal artisanal fisheries fleets in the landing sites of the Portuguese mainland Southern coast (Algarve). The main goal was to identify and evaluate problematic interactions known to cause bycatch or economic loss through depredation. We found that bycatch is a concern for all marine megafauna groups, but depredation problems are mostly associated with cetaceans. Of the sampled artisanal fisheries (longlines, pots and traps, bottom set-nets, and purse seine), the fishing gears of most concern were purse seine and coastal bottom set-nets. Purse seine showed problems associated with important bycatch numbers, especially of common dolphins, Delphinus delphis, while bottom set-nets have considerable bycatch of all animal groups and depredation was highly associated with bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus. Bycatch and depredation were found to be species, gear, area, and vessel size dependent. Economic loss caused by depredation led to catch and gear damage and was widely reported by bottom set-net fishers, ranging from 7% to 21% of their revenue. Higher losses were reported for local vessels in leeward (eastern) Algarve area. This study showed that the active participation of fishers provides improved localized knowledge on interactions between local and coastal fisheries and marine megafauna, allowing for the definition of specific management and mitigation strategies.
- Co-design of a marine protected area zoning and the lessons learned from itPublication . e Costa, Horta; Guimarães, M. Helena; Rangel, Mafalda; Ressurreição, Adriana; Monteiro, Pedro; Oliveira, Frederico; Bentes, Luis; Sales Henriques, Nuno; Sousa, Inês; Alexandre, Sofia; Pontes, João; Afonso, Carlos; Belackova, Adela; Marçalo, Ana; Cardoso-Andrade, Mariana; Correia, António José; Lobo, Vanda; Gonçalves, Emanuel J.; Pitta e Cunha, Tiago; Gonçalves, Jorge Manuel SantosMarine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a tool to safeguard marine natural systems, yet their effectiveness depends on how well they are integrated into the existing socioeconomic context. Stakeholder engagement in MPA design can contribute to increasing integration. This study focuses on the co-design of an MPA between researchers, public administration, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations. The proposed MPA is in Portugal and includes an area that is a hotspot for biodiversity and economic activities. This is the first MPA proposal in mainland Portugal co-designed using a participatory approach. This study highlights the steps of the zoning process and synthesizes the eight main lessons learned, useful for other cases, particularly for relatively small coastal MPAs with multiple socioeconomic activities. Three zoning proposals were developed and discussed within the participatory process. The proposals considered the best scientific and local knowledge available and were defined using ecological, socioeconomic, and shape-area guiding principles. In an iterative manner and following a participatory approach, compromises with stakeholders were achieved, and a final proposal, scientifically sound and socially accepted by most stakeholders, was delivered to the government. The final zoning plan will achieve ambitious conservation goals, including the largest fully protected area to be declared in mainland Portugal, while minimizing the impacts on the existing economic activities and promoting its sustainability. This process resulted in valuable lessons that may be applied elsewhere and guide future MPA implementation or rezoning of existing ones. These transdisciplinary and participatory processes can be time and resource-consuming but are vital for ensuring MPA effectiveness.
- 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.
- INOVPESCA - Redução de capturas acidentais de espécies marinhas protegidas em pescarias costeiras algarvias: inovação de procedimentos e técnicas de mitigaçãoPublication . Marçalo, Ana; Carvalho, Flávia; Frade, Magda; Pires, Alexandra; Alexandre, Sofia; Bentes, Luis; Soares, Cristiano; Zabel, Friedrich; Rangel, Mafalda; Oliveira, Frederico; Monteiro, Pedro; Ressurreição, Adriana; Erzini, Karim; M. S. Gonçalves, JorgeO presente relatório é uma iniciativa do Projecto iNOVPESCA, com o objetivo de documentar o trabalho desenvolvido ao longo do projeto (2018-2021) e incentivar a implementação voluntária de medidas que contribuam para uma melhoria da relação entre as pescas e as espécies marinhas protegidas, especialmente de cetáceos, contribuindo para a sustentabilidade ambiental com a redução de capturas acidentais e sustentabilidade económica do sector das pescarias costeiras Algarvias, podendo servir de exemplo a nível nacional. Este trabalho pretende ser um documento de referência sobre o nível de interação que existe entre pescarias costeiras ao longo da costa algarvia com espécies marinhas protegidas (cetáceos, aves marinhas e tartarugas), e por outro lado, pode servir como aconselhamento para todas as entidades que beneficiam das pescas e que necessitam desta atividade para o seu desenvolvimento económico e social. Para isso foi desenvolvida uma linha de orientação sobre boas práticas assente em dois aspetos chave: - Contribuir para a consciencialização, informação e treino de todas as partes interessadas, no que se refere a medidas de mitigação de conflitos entre pescas e espécies marinhas protegidas; - Promover o uso de práticas responsáveis de pesca e otimizar, em cooperação com o sector pesqueiro, soluções que ajudem a diminuir a mortalidade acidental de cetáceos ou outras espécies protegidas (ex. aves marinhas e tartarugas marinhas) e evitar situações que contribuam para perdas económicas para o pescador (como por exemplo, danos nas artes e perda ou danos no pescado por predação). As interações entre espécies marinhas protegidas e as pescas são um problema mundial com duas componentes importantes, a da conservação, quando os animais como captura não intencional ficam presos nas artes de pesca acabando por morrer, e a socioeconómica quando os animais causam danos nas artes de pesca e na captura alvo dos pescadores.
- From promise to practice: Unlocking the multidimensional value of marine ecotourismPublication . Ressurreição, AdrianaMarine ecotourism offers promise for sustainable blue economies but remains overlooked. In a recent Cell Reports Sustainability article,1 authors explore its transformative potential, focusing on global economic impacts of scuba diving tourism. Here, we reflect on broader sector impacts, key barriers, and actions to unlock marine ecotourism’s full socio-ecological promise.
- Engaging and legitimizing communities: co-designing a community-based marine protected areaPublication . Rangel, Mafalda; Horta e Costa, Barbara; Guimarães, Mª Helena; Ressurreição, Adriana; Monteiro, Pedro; Oliveira, Frederico; Bentes, Luis; Sales Henriques, Nuno; Sousa, Inês; Ferreira Alexandre, Teresa Sofia; Pontes, João; Afonso, Carlos; Belackova, Adela; Marçalo, Ana; Cardoso-Andrade, Mariana; Cortês, António; Correia, António José; Lobo, Vanda; Gonçalves, Emanuel J.; Cunha, Tiago Pitta e; Gonçalves, Jorge Manuel SantosMarine Protected Areas are increasingly used as tools to preserve marine habitats and biodiversity worldwide. Nonetheless, creating MPAs in densely populated multi-use coastal areas comes with intrinsic conflict potential, since protection and economic development are not always hand-in-hand and local users might disagree with the designation of such conservation tools. The use of inclusive and transparent participatory processes to co-design such MPAs can be seen as a way of protecting biodiversity while acknowledging the needs of local users and building conservation tools that fit both purposes. Here we describe a participatory process developed to codesign a Marine Protected Area of Community Interest in a biodiversity, fishing and tourism hotspot in the Algarve (southern Portugal) where the majority of involved stakeholders (96 %) endorsed the final MPA proposal. The methodology and tools used are described in detail, lessons learned are critically analysed and a roadmap to be used in other realities is provided. Evidences collected show that the approach developed allows conservation and economic activities to share the same ground and advocate for the same goals in preserving coastal marine habitats.