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Investigating stakeholders’ perceptions regarding seahorses’ conservation and conflicts in an European estuarine environment
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Orientador(es)
Resumo(s)
Estuaries play a vital role in sustaining biodiversity and providing ecosystem services that support ecological and socioeconomic well-being. However, they face numerous anthropogenic threats undermining their resilience and long-term sustainability. The Tagus estuary, located in Portugal and home to five syngnathids species, has been consistently impacted by anthropogenic stressors with adverse impacts on the ecosystem. Syngnathids have been recognized as potentially effective flagship species for estuarine conservation, yet little is known about their populations in the Tagus estuary. This study aimed to investigate the community's interests, perceptions and historical references of the local natural assets, specifically of the local seahorse population. A total of 100 in-person and online interviews were conducted to characterize local stakeholders, their activities, and their Local Ecological Knowledge. Most participants were aware of the presence of seahorses in the local environment. However, sightings were mostly reported by fishermen and related to bycatch incidents. Participants reported seahorse sightings across the estuary and a generalized positive perception of these animals, but there is still a lack of detailed information and consolidated knowledge about them. This case study's results provide information for local seahorse conservation and highlight the great potential of this group as a flagship for estuarine conservation.
Descrição
Funding Information: This study had the support of FCT through UIDB/MAR/04292/2020, UIDP/MAR/04292/2020 awarded to MARE, and through the project cgranted to the Associate Laboratory ARNET. This work was further supported by CavAlmar project, funded by C\u00E2mara Municipal Almada to ISPA \u2013 Instituto Universit\u00E1rio. We thank all the survey participants, particularly fishermen for their vital contribution to this study. We also thank M\u00E1rio Rolim and Jo\u00E3o Ribeiro for their contribution to data collection and fieldwork and M\u00F4nica Mesquita for sharing her ethnographic knowledge about the Almada local fishing communities. Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Authors
Palavras-chave
Community-based conservation Flagship species Local ecological knowledge Seahorses Tagus estuary Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Aquatic Science Ecology Animal Science and Zoology