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Shiffman DS, Elliott JN, Macdonald CC, Wester JN, Polidoro BA, Ferry LA. The next generation of conservation research and policy priorities for threatened and exploited chondrichthyan fishes in the United States: An expert solicitation approach. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- David S. Shiffman
- New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences Arizona State University Glendale Arizona USA
| | - Jessica N. Elliott
- Masters of Professional Science Program, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science University of Miami Miami Florida USA
| | - Catherine C. Macdonald
- Masters of Professional Science Program, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science University of Miami Miami Florida USA
- Field School Miami Florida USA
| | - Julia N. Wester
- Field School Miami Florida USA
- Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy University of Miami Coral Gables Florida USA
| | - Beth A. Polidoro
- New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences Arizona State University Glendale Arizona USA
| | - Lara A. Ferry
- New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences Arizona State University Glendale Arizona USA
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Shiffman DS, Macdonald CC, Wallace SS, Dulvy NK. The role and value of science in shark conservation advocacy. Sci Rep 2021; 11:16626. [PMID: 34404844 PMCID: PMC8370980 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-96020-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Many species of sharks are threatened with extinction, and there has been a longstanding debate in scientific and environmental circles over the most effective and appropriate strategy to conserve and protect them. Should we allow for sustainable fisheries exploitation of species which can withstand fishing pressure, or ban all fisheries for sharks and trade in shark products? In the developing world, exploitation of fisheries resources can be essential to food security and poverty alleviation, and global management efforts are typically focused on sustainably maximizing economic benefits. This approach aligns with traditional fisheries management and the perspectives of most surveyed scientific researchers who study sharks. However, in Europe and North America, sharks are increasingly venerated as wildlife to be preserved irrespective of conservation status, resulting in growing pressure to prohibit exploitation of sharks and trade in shark products. To understand the causes and significance of this divergence in goals, we surveyed 155 shark conservation focused environmental advocates from 78 environmental non-profits, and asked three key questions: (1) where do advocates get scientific information? (2) Does all policy-relevant scientific information reach advocates? and (3) Do advocates work towards the same policy goals identified by scientific researchers? Findings suggest many environmental advocates are aware of key scientific results and use science-based arguments in their advocacy, but a small but vocal subset of advocates report that they never read the scientific literature or speak to scientists. Engagement with science appears to be a key predictor of whether advocates support sustainable management of shark fisheries or bans on shark fishing and trade in shark products. Conservation is a normative discipline, and this analysis more clearly articulates two distinct perspectives in shark conservation. Most advocates support the same evidence-based policies as academic and government scientists, while a smaller percentage are driven more by moral and ethical beliefs and may not find scientific research relevant or persuasive. We also find possible evidence that a small group of non-profits may be misrepresenting the state of the science while claiming to use science-based arguments, a concern that has been raised by surveyed scientists about the environmental community. This analysis suggests possible alternative avenues for engaging diverse stakeholders in productive discussions about shark conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S Shiffman
- Earth to Oceans Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada. .,New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, Arizona State University, 4701 W Thunderbird Road, Glendale, AZ, 85306, USA.
| | - Catherine C Macdonald
- Field School Scientific Consulting, Miami, FL, USA.,Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL, 33149, USA
| | - S Scott Wallace
- David Suzuki Foundation, 2211 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V6K 4S2, Canada
| | - Nicholas K Dulvy
- Earth to Oceans Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada.
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Dietrich MR, Ankeny RA, Crowe N, Green S, Leonelli S. How to choose your research organism. STUDIES IN HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF BIOLOGICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES 2020; 80:101227. [PMID: 31883711 DOI: 10.1016/j.shpsc.2019.101227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Despite August Krogh's famous admonition that a 'convenient' organism exists for every biological problem, we argue that appeals to 'convenience' are not sufficient to capture reasoning about organism choice. Instead, we offer a detailed analysis based on empirical data and philosophical arguments for a working set of twenty criteria that interact with each other in the highly contextualized judgements that biologists make about organism choice. We propose to think of these decisions as a form of 'differential analysis' where researchers weigh multiple criteria for organismal choice against each other, and often utilize multidimensional refinement processes to finalize their choices. The specific details of any one case make it difficult to draw generalizations or to abstract away from specific research situations. However, this analysis of criteria for organismal choice and how these are related in practice allows us to reflect more generally on what makes a particular organism useful or 'good.'
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael R Dietrich
- Department of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Pittsburgh, USA.
| | - Rachel A Ankeny
- Department of History, University of Adelaide, Australia; Department of Philosophy, University of Adelaide, Australia.
| | - Nathan Crowe
- Department of History, University of North Carolina Wilmington, USA.
| | - Sara Green
- Section for History and Philosophy of Science, Department of Science Education, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Sabina Leonelli
- Department of Sociology, Philosophy and Anthropology, University of Exeter, UK.
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Shiffman DS, Ajemian MJ, Carrier JC, Daly-Engel TS, Davis MM, Dulvy NK, Grubbs RD, Hinojosa NA, Imhoff J, Kolmann MA, Nash CS, Paig-Tran EWM, Peele EE, Skubel RA, Wetherbee BM, Whitenack LB, Wyffels JT. Trends in Chondrichthyan Research: An Analysis of Three Decades of Conference Abstracts. COPEIA 2020. [DOI: 10.1643/ot-19-179r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- D. S. Shiffman
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, 8888 University Drive, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - M. J. Ajemian
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Ft. Pierce, Florida 33431
| | - J. C. Carrier
- Department of Biology, Albion College, Albion, Michigan 49224
| | - T. S. Daly-Engel
- Department of Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, 150 W. University Blvd., Melbourne, Florida 32901
| | - M. M. Davis
- Maine Department of Marine Resources, P.O. Box 8, 194 McKown Point Road, West Boothbay Harbor, Maine 04575
| | - N. K. Dulvy
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, 8888 University Drive, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - R. D. Grubbs
- Florida State University, Coastal and Marine Laboratory, 3618 Highway 98, St. Teresa, Florida 32358
| | - N. A. Hinojosa
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology, UNCW Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina 28403
| | - J. Imhoff
- Florida State University, Coastal and Marine Laboratory, 3618 Highway 98, St. Teresa, Florida 32358
| | - M. A. Kolmann
- Department of Biological Sciences, George Washington University, 2029 G St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20052
| | - C. S. Nash
- Department of Biology University of West Florida, 11000 University Pkwy., Pensacola, Florida
| | - E. W. M. Paig-Tran
- Department of Biological Science, California State University, Fullerton, 800 North State College Boulevard, Fullerton, California 92831
| | - E. E. Peele
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology, UNCW Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina 28403
| | - R. A. Skubel
- Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy, University of Miami, Miami, Florida 33146
| | - B. M. Wetherbee
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island 02881
| | - L. B. Whitenack
- Departments of Biology and Geology, Allegheny College, Meadville, Pennsylvania 16335
| | - J. T. Wyffels
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19711; and South-East Zoo Alliance for Reproduction & Conservation, 581705 White Oak Road, Yulee, Florida 32097
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Shiffman DS, Hammerschlag N. Preferred conservation policies of shark researchers. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2016; 30:805-815. [PMID: 26662225 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2015] [Revised: 11/02/2015] [Accepted: 12/08/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
There is increasing concern about the conservation status of sharks. However, the presence of numerous different (and potentially mutually exclusive) policies complicates management implementation and public understanding of the process. We distributed an online survey to members of the largest professional shark and ray research societies to assess member knowledge of and attitudes toward different conservation policies. Questions covered society member opinions on conservation and management policies, personal histories of involvement in advocacy and management, and perceptions of the approach of conservation nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to shark conservation. One hundred and two surveys were completed (overall response rate 21%). Respondents considered themselves knowledgeable about and actively involved in conservation and management policy; a majority believed scientists have a responsibility to advocate for conservation (75%), and majorities have sent formal public comments to policymakers (54%) and included policy suggestions in their papers (53%). They believe sustainable shark fisheries are possible, are currently happening today (in a few places), and should be the goal instead of banning fisheries. Respondents were generally less supportive of newer limit-based (i.e., policies that ban exploitation entirely without a species-specific focus) conservation policy tools, such as shark sanctuaries and bans on the sale of shark fins, than of target-based fisheries management tools (i.e., policies that allow for sustainable harvest of species whose populations can withstand it), such as fishing quotas. Respondents were generally supportive of environmental NGO efforts to conserve sharks but raised concerns about some NGOs that they perceived as using incorrect information and focusing on the wrong problems. Our results show there is an ongoing debate in shark conservation and management circles relative to environmental policy on target-based natural resources management tools versus limit-based conservation tools. They also suggest that closer communication between the scientific and environmental NGO communities may be needed to recognize and reconcile differing values and objectives between these groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S Shiffman
- Leonard and Jayne Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy, University of Miami, 1365 Memorial Drive #230, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, U.S.A
| | - Neil Hammerschlag
- Leonard and Jayne Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy, University of Miami, 1365 Memorial Drive #230, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, U.S.A
- University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL, 33149, U.S.A
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