Does Lack of Knowledge Lead to Misperceptions? Disentangling the Factors Modulating Public Knowledge About and Perceptions Toward Sharks

André S Afonso,Paulo Maranhão,Sérgio Leandro,Leonardo Fidelis,Fábio H V Hazin,Leonardo Veras,Anxo Conde,Pedro Roque

doi:10.3389/fmars.2020.00663

Abstract

Identifying sources of variability in public perceptions and attitudes towards sharks can assist managers and conservationists with developing effective strategies to raise awareness and support for the conservation of threatened shark species. This study examined the effect of several demographic, economic and socioenvironmental factors on the quality of knowledge about and perceptions towards sharks in two contrasting scenarios from northeastern Brazil: a shark hazardous coastal region and a marine protected insular area. Ordered logistic regression models were built using Likert data collected with a self-administered questionnaire survey (N = 1094). A clear relationship between education, knowledge and perceptions was evidenced, with low education level and knowledge of sharks resulting in more negative perceptions towards these species. Prejudice towards sharks stemmed as a potentially limiting factor because some positive effects of other variables were superseded by the effects of negative prejudice. Other practical factors such as age, economic level, and gender, also influenced respondent’s knowledge and perceptions and could provide a guidance for optimizing socioenvironmental gains relatively to public engagement efforts. Results also suggested that populations inhabiting regions with high shark bite incidence likely require distinct outreach methods because some factors underlying knowledge and perception dynamics exhibited structural differences in their effects when compared to the trends observed in a marine protected area. Altogether, public perceptions and attitudes towards sharks could be feasibly enhanced with educational development and nature experiencing strategies. Moreover, disseminating shark-specific knowledge across the society might catalyze support for the conservation of these species in a cost-effective way. This study provides a potentially useful socioenvironmental framework to deal with the human dimensions of shark management and to strengthen conservation policies aimed at promoting societal compliance with pro-environmental values, which is crucial to endow shark populations with effective protection from anthropogenic threats.

Highlights

As aquatic predators, sharks play a decisive role in regulating trophic webs and maintaining ecosystem balance and structure (Stevens et al, 2000; Heupel et al, 2014; Hussey et al, 2015), in controlling the activity of their prey (Wirsing et al, 2007; Bond et al, 2019), and in promoting ecosystem connectivity (McCauley et al, 2012)
Raising environmental awareness and ocean literacy among societies will be instrumental for producing behavioral changes toward more sustainable, ecofriendly lifestyles (United Nations, 2018) and toward a more active participation of the society in conservation action
It is known that public engagement in conservation action and pro-environmental behavior may be influenced by a plethora of intrinsic and extrinsic factors (Kollmuss and Agyeman, 2002)

Summary

Introduction

Sharks play a decisive role in regulating trophic webs and maintaining ecosystem balance and structure (Stevens et al, 2000; Heupel et al, 2014; Hussey et al, 2015), in controlling the activity of their prey (Wirsing et al, 2007; Bond et al, 2019), and in promoting ecosystem connectivity (McCauley et al, 2012). A thorough understanding of shark bioecology and vulnerabilities is essential to derive adequate resource management measures toward sustainability (Yokoi et al, 2017), and researchers worldwide have been prolific in addressing knowledge requirements with direct applicability to shark conservation (e.g., Huveneers et al, 2015; Cardeñosa, 2019; Queiroz et al, 2019). All these ongoing efforts to ensure the sustainability of shark populations may not suffice (Simpfendorfer et al, 2011). Even regarding non-hazardous scenarios, sharks can be considered a nuisance and become prone to extirpation regardless of their conservation status, e.g., when they produce considerable economic loss trough depredation on fisheries catch (Mitchell et al, 2018)

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