Alternative livelihoods for shark conservation 25


recruited from Lewalu and Ampera. By the end of 2023, the champions had conducted outreach and awareness activities reaching 1,166 people across 24 villages via school visits, community meetings and awareness posters. They collabo- rated with a local radio station to deliver four broadcasting programmes, reaching at least 1,000 listeners. According to the champions, 100% of those reached stated that they had learnt about the importance of thresher sharks through the outreach activities, with some saying this was the first time they had heard about the species. Village leaders on Pura Island encouraged residents to safeguard thresher sharks and consider them as local assets, resulting in in- creased community awareness and pride in their conser- vation (R6, Fig. 2).


Behavioural results


During our meetings, we identified a range of beliefs and attitudes (Table 2) that shaped the fishers’ behavioural intentions, particularly with respect to their commitment to thresher conservation. Positive attitudes were rooted in emotions such as appre- ciation and attention, with fishers expressing a sense of


acknowledgment and fulfilment of their interests through- out the piloting process. Normative beliefs in the form of so- cial pressure played a crucial role in preventing deviation from the agreement. For example, a fisher’s wife persuaded him to fish for sharks during the season, but neighbours scolded them, causing feelings of shame and guilt. Another fisher was encouraged by his daughter, who was part of the youth champions initiative, to uphold his obliga- tions as aMuslim. Additionally, a participant complied with the agreement because he feared punishment if he violated the ocean offering to the ancestors. This blend of individual behavioural beliefs and normative pressures exerted by community members contributed to behavioural changes, leading to general adherence to rules and sanctions (behav- ioural results B3,B4,B5, Fig. 2). However, violations occurred in 2022 and 2023. One


fisher caught a shark and refused to release it; he cited a taboo on releasing the season’s first catch. This was dis- proved by other members and created a dispute. Others considered it unfair for the violator’s behaviour to go un- punished, given their dedication to releasing sharks even when it meant they would return home empty-handed. The other two violators retained captured sharks because of


TABLE 2 Identified norms/attitudes, by their overall influence on thresher conservation, throughout the implementation of alternative livelihoods within the communities.


Type of norm/ attitude


Examples


Positive influence on thresher conservation Behavioural belief


The fisherman valued the incentives & demonstrated genuine respect for the agreement


Normative belief The fisherman was reminded by his daughter of the importance of upholding the agreement as a devout Muslim


The fisher has made an oath & fears that the ancestors will punish him if he were to violate it


A neighbour visits the fisher’s residence to reprimand the wife for pressuring her husband into shark fishing, in an attempt to ensure compliance with the agreement


Control belief The fisher, who received capital, expanded his small-scale chicken keeping, resulting in increased egg production & income


Negative influence on thresher conservation Normative belief Other community members pressured an affluent fisher not to accept the incentive offer to join the participant group


Fishers have strained relationships & unresolved conflicts with the village government


Control belief The fisher feels that he can sustain himself sufficiently by shark fishing & does not need incentives to change his livelihood The fisher stated that catching sharks is integral to his identity


Subjective norm Fisher who is part of the group caught a shark & refused to release it, citing a taboo to waste the first catch of the season


A seasonal fisher, formerly employed in construction, exerted pressure on the project team & stakeholders, demanding incentives for himself


Some fishers faced economic & family hardships, compelling them to resort to shark fishing


Outcomes Fisher complied with the agreement


Fisher heeded his daughter’s advice&complied Fisher complied with the agreement


Fisher’s wife & family experienced a sense of shame; fisher complied with the agreement


Fisher recognized the benefits of the incentives & complied with the agreement


Fisher did not join the group Fisher did not join the group Fisher withdrew from the group Fisher did not join the group


Fisher breached the agreement; the compro- mise was perceived as unfair by some fishers Fisher created political disputes in the village


Fishers breached the agreement


Oryx, 2025, 59(1), 19–30 © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Fauna & Flora International doi:10.1017/S0030605324001376


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