Understanding the public attitude towards sharks for improving their conservation

Giovos I., Barash A., Barone M., Barria C., Borme D., Brigaudeau C., ...Daha Fazla

MARINE POLICY, cilt.134, 2021 (SSCI) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 134
  • Basım Tarihi: 2021
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.marpol.2021.104811
  • Dergi Adı: MARINE POLICY
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, International Bibliography of Social Sciences, Periodicals Index Online, Aerospace Database, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), Artic & Antarctic Regions, Communication Abstracts, Environment Index, Geobase, Metadex, PAIS International, Pollution Abstracts, Public Affairs Index, Civil Engineering Abstracts
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Public opinion, Public perception, Shark conservation, Attitude, ENVIRONMENTAL KNOWLEDGE, MEDIA PORTRAYAL, PERCEPTIONS, AWARENESS, STUDENTS, SUPPORT, ISSUES, TRADE, USERS, RAYS
  • Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Sharks are among the oldest residents of the planet, they possess a unique value as top predators and constitute irreplaceable elements of marine ecosystems. Unfortunately, contemporary narratives widely presented in popular mainstream media have attached an utterly negative connotation to sharks, propagating an unsubstantiated and fabricated image of them as implacable and voracious predators. Recently a lot of attention is devoted to understanding the public perception towards sharks in order to promote their conservation given that a quarter of all shark species are facing extinction. This work assessed the current attitude of the public towards sharks on a global scale, utilizing modern technology through a single protocol that explored the importance of factors like culture, history, or educational level in shaping attitudes. We collected 13,800 questionnaires from 137 countries, with 25 countries presenting more than 100 answers each, representing in total 92% of the filled questionnaires. A generally positive attitude towards sharks emerged from our study, influenced significantly by several factors including knowledge and participation in marine conservation projects. Interestingly, shark