Oceanic atoll provides refuge for elasmobranchs amidst global declines and promotes opportunities to finance conservation
Date
2024
Authors
Zerr, Kaitlyn
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Abstract
Sharks and rays (elasmobranchs) are charismatic megafauna that support healthy ecosystems and can serve as flagship species for marine conservation. Elasmobranchs tend to be highly mobile, mid- to high trophic level predators, with slow population growth rates that render them vulnerable to overexploitation. While many species have experienced widespread and ongoing population declines, some nations have recognized the value of elasmobranchs to the tourism industry. The Republic of Maldives has protected sharks and rays from exploitation within their national waters since 2014 because of the significant amount of revenue lost from the tourism industry when populations there began to show signs of overexploitation. However, local threats such as bycatch, entanglement in fishing gear, and unregulated tourism may continue to negatively impact populations, highlighting the need for additional conservation measures. Known as ‘Shark Island’, Fuvahmulah Atoll, a recently designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, has recently experienced a steep rise in dive tourism due to improved accessibility to, and awareness of, its abundant and diverse shark and ray megafauna. Although a marine protected area (MPA) has been designated at the southern end of the atoll, a management plan has not yet been developed and species-specific information is lacking. Furthermore, it is unclear if dive tourists are willing to contribute financially to help conserve the biodiversity upon which their tourism depends. Here, we sought to inform management plans and policy design by 1) quantifying elasmobranch assemblages on Fuvahmulah Atoll’s reefs and 2) examining tourists’ willingness to pay for increased conservation action on the atoll. In Chapter 2, we deployed remote timelapse cameras at three shallow fore reef sites and collected images on 63 days over a 6-month period. From a total of 1,629,756 images, we calculated the occurrence and relative abundance within days and hours to assess spatial and temporal variations in elasmobranch visitation to the sites. Sharks and rays were captured on 72% of hours and 95% of days, with the highest number of occurrences recorded at the site within an MPA, Farikede, followed by Kedevari and Hudhekede. Both reef sharks and apex sharks were represented, with whitetip reef sharks, pelagic threshers, grey reef sharks, tiger sharks, and silvertip sharks, representing the most frequently observed species. We show that Farikede MPA is a hotspot for reef sharks and tiger sharks. However, Kedevari appears to be an ecologically significant site for pelagic threshers. In Chapter 3, we conducted stated preference surveys with tourists visiting Fuvahmulah to assess tourists’ willingness to pay a one-time “Reserve” entrance fee, the factors that influence the value of the fee, and their preferences for conservation measures proposed by the community. Virtually all (97%) tourists were supportive of paying a one-time reserve entrance fee, with an average fee of US$58 per person. Tourists with more positive environmental attitudes, those more committed to dive tourism (higher skill levels and more frequent trips), and those who encountered specific shark species (tiger sharks or pelagic threshers) in Fuvahmulah were willing to pay higher entrance fees. Visitors to Fuvahmulah Atoll highly value marine conservation, and their financial support creates unique opportunities to safeguard biodiversity and ensure the sustainability of the tourism industry. Increasing our understanding of the biological community while exploring avenues to finance conservation can provide opportunities to create informed and comprehensive management plans. While many elasmobranch populations continue to experience global declines, protected and well-managed sites may increase resilience on a global scale.
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Keywords
conservation, sharks, Maldives, policy, protected areas, contingent valuation, biosphere reserve, megafauna, rays