ISTS Symposium43 Program/Agenda

Values serve as guiding principles in life and play a key role in motivating action. Therefore, tackling biodiversity loss requires an understanding of the diverse ways in which people value nature and the types of nature connections that can motivate local stewardship. Recent attention to relational values has helped address the narrow conceptualization of environmental values as either intrinsic or instrumental, and challenged the notion of a ‘rational actor’ motivated by self-interest. Thus, a focus on the social and cultural context in which conservation occurs can provide further insights into the factors that motivate local participation in biodiversity conservation.

This study adopts a socio-cultural understanding of human action to explore the motivations of community Conservation Officers who have been leading sea turtle conservation efforts in Tanzania for more than 20 years. Several of the Conservation Officers hunted turtles in the past and therefore, participation in sea turtle conservation represents a significant change in behaviour. Over time, Conservation Officers have become well respected and trusted members of their communities, and many have been elected to local leadership positions. However, their underlying motivations for participation in sea turtle conservation are not well understood. Furthermore, it is unclear how the different elements of participation have interacted to shape the actions, outcomes, and legitimacy of the Conservation Officer network over the past 20 years.

In-depth interviews were conducted with 22 Conservation Officers situated across five coastal districts, which focused on motivational factors and lived experiences of participation. All interviews were recorded, transcribed, and translated from Kiswahili to English, and analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. The analysis revealed that the Conservation Officer’s motivations were influenced by both personal and contextual factors, and changed over time. Initially, value-based motives contributed to the Conservation Officer’s decision to participate. However, their motivation was sustained over time as the tangible benefits of participation were realised in the form of improved social status and multi-dimensional wellbeing outcomes. These benefits were sufficient to offset the costs of participation including acts of resistance and negative impacts on valued social relationships.

This study highlights the complex interactions between cognitive, social, and cultural drivers of participation, which are often overlooked in the design and implementation of conservation programmes. Recognition of the diverse value-systems of local actors, as well as the importance of social and cultural contexts, is crucial for designing conservation programmes that respect the rights, values, and priorities of people living alongside biodiversity. Leveraging diverse values can avoid over reliance on economic incentives for participation, foreground conservation approaches that enhance human wellbeing, and increase the long term sustainability of conservation initiatives. We recommend that sea turtle conservation programmes are designed in collaboration with coastal communities to enable expression of diverse values and to provide a pathway for non-material values to be more fully considered in decision-making processes.

In Panama, sea turtles have been exploited for generations to supply local, national, and international markets. During the 1960s, hawksbill turtles were the most affected species. However, after the species was listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and international trade was prohibited, exploitation decreased. Around the same time, conservation projects began sea turtle conservation and monitoring efforts in the area. However, by then, many coastal communities had become accustomed to consuming sea turtles. Today, the use of sea turtles in Bocas del Toro and local perceptions regarding the consumption of these reptiles remain unknown. Understanding the extent of illegal take and the social and economic drivers behind it is crucial to develop and implement effective conservation strategies for sea turtles. Accordingly, during May of 2024, we conducted twenty-five semi-structured interviews with key informants (e.g., members of native families, consumers, fishers, local authorities, and ex-turtle hunters) by target sampling and snowball” sampling. Our preliminary results show that sea turtle consumption persists and that there is a clandestine network to sell turtle meat in Bocas del Toro. Most key informants affirm that they use and consume sea turtles because it is a custom passed on by generations. The price ranges from $2 to $4 per pound for meat, although prices can fluctuate based on the season and the person who catches the turtle. Additionally, some interviewees mentioned that sea turtles have aphrodisiac properties, and they considered it an honor to be recognized as a “Tortugueros” (Turtle catcher). Taken together, this study provides a preliminary assessment of local perceptions of sea turtle consumption and trade distribution in Bocas del Toro and regional insights into illegal take.

The long-term recovery and maintenance of healthy sea turtle populations require innovative strategies that promote environmental sustainability and local development. Since its creation in 1980, Projeto Tamar has been a pioneer in this regard, developing and implementing innovative educational and socioeconomic activities that have significantly contributed to the protection of sea turtles in Brazil. This extensive experience and the positive results obtained leave a legacy of lessons that can be shared and serve as a reference for other organizations. The Theory of Change is a method used to show and measure the positive impacts brought by projects and businesses and can be applied to the development, management, and evaluation of organizational interventions. The focus of this study is to analyze, through the Theory of Change approach, Fundação Projeto Tamar’s clothing factory, implemented in the early 1990s, in two main nesting areas for sea turtle conservation: Regência/ES and Pirambu/SE. This initiative was created with the clear purpose of creating employment and income opportunities for women from the local community and their families, and as a means of generating resources for maintaining the conservation and research program. Based on the Theory of Change framework, this case study mapped the process and illustrated the results and value chain of this initiative. Key factors contributing to the positive impacts were also identified. Using secondary data, we consolidated the tangible outcomes, or quantitative data, from 32 years of Fundação Projeto Tamar's clothing factory activities. To identify the intangible outcomes, or qualitative information, and impacts of the initiative, we used sixteen unstructured interviews with two groups of stakeholders: women from the communities of Regência/ES and Pirambu/SE who worked and/or still work in Tamar´s clothing factory, and people who work and/or has worked in the implementation of this initiative. Our results emphasized some attributes that contributed to the success of the initiative: a clear purpose; the choice of a business aligned with the local culture; motivated and engaged people to implement the clothing factory and make it work; access to continuous training; knowledge of the market and the existence of demand (Tamar´s stores in touristic locations). The tangible outcomes highlighted are; 60 job opportunities generated per year, support to six craft groups involving 90 people/year, financial sustainability of the conservation and research program (currently representing 45% of Fundação Projeto Tamar’s stores' revenue), and the recovery trend of populations of five turtle species (Caretta caretta, Dermochelys coriacea, Chelonia mydas, Eretmochelys imbricata, and Lepidochelis olivacea). Interviews highlighted that Fundação Projeto Tamar's clothing factory significantly promoted women's empowerment and leadership through increased self-esteem, personal and financial autonomy, training, labor market integration, and entrepreneurship. In addition to reducing threats to sea turtles, this initiative has contributed to reducing threats to women and families in vulnerable situations. This study indicates that socio-environmental impact business initiative models can contribute to the long-term sustainability of conservation initiatives and build resilient and sustainable communities.

Our Blue Marble faces significant, intersecting environmental challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, and ecological health collapse, all deeply intertwined with environmental injustice. Underserved or vulnerable human and nonhuman systems disproportionately bear the burdens of these crises while receiving fewer benefits, highlighting the urgent need for sustainability, an interdisciplinary approach to meet the needs of current and future generations equitably. The United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides a blueprint for a better future through 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that balance social, economic, and environmental factors. These aims, while aspirational, may serve as useful frameworks for governments and other stakeholders, including non-governmental organizations.

This research investigates connections between the SDGs and organizations managing and protecting sea turtles in the Western South Atlantic (WSA) through a questionnaire, website and literature surveys, and personal interviews. Regional marine reptiles disperse and migrate along the coastline, in territorial waters, and through connected areas. As globally endangered, highly migratory, transboundary, and charismatic species, sea turtles represent challenges and opportunities in sustainable marine conservation. This study analyzes the actions of different conservation projects developed in Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. These organizations are renowned for community-based conservation centered on all three pillars of sustainability—social, economic, and environmental—through their research, conservation, education, and social inclusion missions. Together with regional academic and other groups, they form La Red ASO -Tortugas, the South Atlantic Sea Turtle Network.

The data reveal that these groups individually and jointly advance SDG Goals 14 and 15, focusing on Life Below Water and On Land, by protecting and researching nesting beach and foraging ground populations along the Western South American coastline. Their work has reversed formerly declining national and regional population trends. For example, of the five sea turtle species in Brazil, four have improved in conservation status, although the leatherback turtle remains critically endangered. The projects are beginning to address Goal 13, Climate Action, and the challenges of rising sea levels, increasingly severe storms, and temperature-dependent sex ratio changes, through research and ensuing management actions. The groups’ extensive educational outreach also enhances environmental literacy at various levels, contributing to Goal 4, Quality Education. The programs create jobs and support local culture by engaging fishermen and former poachers as protectors, involving community members in artisanal and artistic production, and developing educational work opportunities, supporting Goals 1: No Poverty; 2: Zero Hunger; 3: Good Health and Well-being; 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, and 11 Sustainable (Cities and) Communities.

The conservation models developed by these groups go well beyond protecting endangered species to enhance the economic and social welfare of surrounding communities, offering valuable insights for conservation organizations worldwide and promoting sustainability one turtle at a time.

Abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) represents a substantial proportion of global marine plastic pollution and contributes to the under-reported issue of marine turtle entanglement. The lack of formal waste management in many areas where fishing is prevalent likely contributes significantly to overall marine plastic pollution and poses a threat to megafauna species. Yet little is known about the behavioural drivers behind discarding gear, particularly in Small Island Developing States (SIDS). To address this, a fishers’ questionnaire was employed within communities in Príncipe, Gulf of Guinea. Adapting the ‘Theory of Planned Behaviour’, this tool was used to explore attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control specifically focusing on the behaviour of discarding nets within the communities. Questions were asked on: the use and management of different types of nets, the drivers of gear discarding, suggestions for potential solutions, and the incidences of marine megafauna entanglement. Information on how often different types of nets were repaired, replaced, their alternative uses, and discarding methods was also obtained. A total of 51 participants took part in the questionnaire, representing a large portion of net owners in Príncipe (total n=97). Regarding marine turtle entanglement, 28% (n=46) of sightings were in discarded gear (ghost nets), with the remaining being reported as bycatch in active nets. Overall, sea turtles were most often sighted in active or discarded by net owners annually (50%; sightings n=36), alive (68%; n=50) and were released (91%; n=35), in comparison to other megafauna species, owing to an island-wide awareness programme. In participants’ opinion, the most impactful initiatives to stop the discarding of fishing nets within the communities included raising awareness, better storage/ management of nets or a collection of old/broken nets for a re-use project. The majority agreed that a net collection scheme would be a good idea, with a few commenting on the need to be financially imbursed from old or broken net collection. Gathering such knowledge is essential for developing effective management strategies to address ALDFG within SIDS, involving communities in the design of solutions that could feed into policy or legislative change. Additionally, such reporting can aid in understanding the impacts of ALDFG on vulnerable marine species, such as marine turtles, in areas where knowledge is currently highly limited.

MARES Comunidad is a binational conservation initiative focused on enhancing the well-being of Mexican fishing communities along the Pacific coast while actively reducing the bycatch of endangered marine turtles. Addressing the growing threats posed by artisanal fishing practices to marine biodiversity. MARES Comunidad’s holistic approach emphasizes the engagement of fishers and local communities in sustainable practices and conservation efforts. Central to this initiative are the Fisheries Learning Exchanges (FLEs), innovative knowledge-sharing spaces where fishers can exchange experiences, strategies, and peer-to-peer support to advance sustainable fishing practices and alternative livelihoods. From 2022 to 2024, we conducted 27 exchanges, reaching 419 participants across 51 coastal communities. FLEs solicited input from fishers on a variety of topics such as 1) gear modification to reduce turtle bycatch, 2) development of fisher-designed tools for safe release of turtles from gear, and 3) economic diversification via ecotourism and artisanal craft sales. A series of FLEs also occurred in communities where previous rapid bycatch assessments (RBAs) had occurred to share survey results with local fishers. Key findings from the project highlighted the socio-economic challenges faced by artisanal fishers, who work in precarious conditions due to declining fish stocks, high operational costs, and limited governamental support. We also highlighted the role of women—both as fishers and supplemental income earners—in community activities. Too often, artisanal fisheries are considered a man-only business, yet the role of women in fortifying community resilience is significant, and should be explicitly accounted for in fisheries sustainability strategies. Through the FLEs, we learned the importance of amplifying fishers’ voices in the decision-making process and fishery governance.Ongoing community engagement and knowledge-sharing are critical to strengthening sustainable fishing practices that protect both marine turtles and local livelihoods. While FLEs have proven invaluable, they represent just one step in a larger process to foster long-term sustainability in artisanal fishing communities, and follow-up activities (e.g. promoting sustainable fisheries management, supporting gender-inclusive initiatives) should be implemented to reinforce the progress achieved.