Biocultural traits as indicators of relationships between elasmobranchs and small-scale fishers
Tracks
Tully 1
| Tuesday, July 28, 2026 |
| 3:00 PM - 3:15 PM |
Speaker
Mrs Yoluène Massey
Phd Student
CNRS
Biocultural traits as indicators of relationships between elasmobranchs and small-scale fishers
ISE Congress 2026 Abstract
Elasmobranch (sharks and rays) populations have declined by 70% over the past half-century, mainly due to overfishing. Restoring these populations remains a major challenge in conservation science and management. This decline is particularly severe in countries with a low Human Development Index, where small-scale fishing sustains local livelihoods. However, the predominant indicators used to assess interactions between fisheries and marine resources are often poorly adapted, particularly because relationships between fishers and marine life involve processes that
extend well beyond subsistence or economic exploitation. These processes are frequently overlooked in conservation science and management strategies, which can result in poorly understood and sometimes inappropriate regulatory measures.
Through a bottom-up, context-grounded approach with fishers in Indian Ocean region, we develop a concept of biocultural traits of elasmobranchs, integrating the biological and socio-cultural dimensions of human–shark and human-ray relationships and reciprocities.
In collaboration with eleven marine science students across the study region, we conducted semi-structured interviews using freelisting as a core method. Between April 2024 and February 2026, we asked 358 fishers from Mayotte Island (France), the Comoros, and Nosy Be (Madagascar) to
describe their knowledge of the diversity of shark and ray ethno-species and their associated fishing practices.
We show that the wide variety of vernacular taxa described by fishers is associated with shared and evolving biocultural traits. These traits reveal marked contrasts in elasmobranch capturability by small-scale fisheries across multiple scales, from individual and village-level interactions to national and regional dynamics within the northeastern Mozambique Channel.
In line with the ISE 2026 themes “Two-Way Science – Rangers and Researchers Projects” (Indigenous Biocultural Knowledge in Natural Resource Management) and “Social” (Health and WellBeing), these findings contribute to integrating biocultural stewardship into conservation research on endangered species and promote more inclusive management perspectives grounded in emic knowledge.
extend well beyond subsistence or economic exploitation. These processes are frequently overlooked in conservation science and management strategies, which can result in poorly understood and sometimes inappropriate regulatory measures.
Through a bottom-up, context-grounded approach with fishers in Indian Ocean region, we develop a concept of biocultural traits of elasmobranchs, integrating the biological and socio-cultural dimensions of human–shark and human-ray relationships and reciprocities.
In collaboration with eleven marine science students across the study region, we conducted semi-structured interviews using freelisting as a core method. Between April 2024 and February 2026, we asked 358 fishers from Mayotte Island (France), the Comoros, and Nosy Be (Madagascar) to
describe their knowledge of the diversity of shark and ray ethno-species and their associated fishing practices.
We show that the wide variety of vernacular taxa described by fishers is associated with shared and evolving biocultural traits. These traits reveal marked contrasts in elasmobranch capturability by small-scale fisheries across multiple scales, from individual and village-level interactions to national and regional dynamics within the northeastern Mozambique Channel.
In line with the ISE 2026 themes “Two-Way Science – Rangers and Researchers Projects” (Indigenous Biocultural Knowledge in Natural Resource Management) and “Social” (Health and WellBeing), these findings contribute to integrating biocultural stewardship into conservation research on endangered species and promote more inclusive management perspectives grounded in emic knowledge.
Biography
