Marine species around the globe face an array of natural and anthropogenic stressors that reduce their long-term population viability. When these species have perceived value, typically accompanied by a positive public image, galvanizing social and political interest to protect and restore them faces little resistance. For species with less clearly defined direct value to humans, a negative public image, and/or for which minimal data are available, securing support and funding can be far more complicated. This session will provide examples of how support was garnered for the successful conservation of underappreciated and/or less well known marine species through dedicated public messaging campaigns, leveraging of collaborative partnerships, engagement of novel community-interest groups, innovative approaches to defining poorly understood species, and other methods.
Organizer: Dayv Lowry, NOAA Fisheries, [email protected]
Co-organizers: Jamey Selleck, Robert Anderson, Chelsey Young, Adam Brame, Orian Tzadik
Supported by: NOAA Fisheries