Aurora Anahí Maguiña Silva
This project will examine how participation in nature-based tourism affects the relationship between fishers and marine megafauna in Peru. Marine megafauna faces severe population declines, with bycatch ranging from 37 to 75 tons along Peru’s northern coast. Despite legal protections, low compliance rates threaten their survival, underscoring the need for a different and innovative approach.
Fishers at work in the “La Cruz” cove in Tumbes, one of the communities where the project will be implemented. © Aurora Anahí Maguiña Silva.
Through a mixed-methods approach, this project aims to explore the small-scale fishers’ perceptions and environmental values towards marine wildlife, with tourism as a potential pathway to conservation stewardship. Findings will support ongoing marine conservation efforts while promoting local livelihoods.