Blue Ventures is a science-led social enterprise that develops transformative approaches for nurturing and sustaining locally led marine conservation. The organisation works in partnership with coastal communities in places where the ocean is vital to the culture and economy.Blue Ventures' range of marine management models are designed to address the barriers between communities and conservation. By integrating community-led resource management with community health and alternative livelihood initiatives to benefit both people and nature.Blue Ventures works in the Indian Ocean, southeast Asia and the Caribbean. They operate field programmes in Madagascar, Belize, and Timor-Leste with a small number of staff based in Comoros, Kenya, Mozambique and Tanzania supporting partners' projects.
Abstract Market-based voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) that aim to incentivize sustainable practices in fisheries - such as certifications, improvement projects, and ratings - have proliferated over the past decade. However, with an explicitly narrow focus on environmental outcomes, it is unclear how these programs have affected social equity, and where, and to whom, the costs and benefits of participating in these initiatives accrue. In this project, we conduct a comparative case study using an empirical, mixed methods approach combining interviews, group discussion, and quantitative supply chain analyses to better understand how some VSS (Marine Stewardship Council, Fair Trade, Fishery Improvement Projects) enable, or hinder, equitable outcomes in seafood production. We examine three small-scale fisheries (SSF) in India, Maldives, and Indonesia that differ in size, species focus, and supply chain characteristics, to identify key equity issues (both perceived and realized) and ways in which they can be addressed. For each fishery, we focus on understanding how different dimensions of social equity are impacted by VSS and their interaction with a) international market dynamics and other regional fisheries, b) government policy and contextual or structural issues (e.g., debt, poverty), c) engagement with fishers and fishing communities, and d) the values of seafood organizations operating in a place as they relate to equity. For each fishery and supply chain, we discuss how these dynamics challenge the VSS theory of change and implications for equity. As VSS grow in small-scale fisheries in low-and middle-income countries, it will be crucial for these models to learn from successful strategies and respond to place-specific equity concerns if they are to result in fair and durable conservation outcomes in the long term.
Abstract Background Paralabrax albomaculatus , known as the camotillo or white-spotted sand bass, is a finfish endemic to the Galápagos Islands. An important species in the artisanal fishery, P. albomaculatus has undergone heavy population declines in recent decades, and is categorised as Endangered by the IUCN. Despite its socio-economic importance and endemic status, nothing is currently known about the population structure of the species, impeding evidence-based fisheries management. In this study, we use microsatellite markers to investigate its population structure and genetic diversity over the east, south and west of the Galápagos archipelago. Results We found evidence of high connectivity across the archipelago, with the species constituting a single population. We also found that genetic diversity was high, despite fishing pressure and recorded ongoing population declines. Conclusions Our results suggest that P. albomaculatus should be managed as a single fishery stock across the Galápagos. As a single-population species and fishery, managers should also be aware that P. albomaculatus is inherently vulnerable to perturbation as recruitment from other populations is not possible in the event of population decline. However, high genetic diversity gives cause for cautious optimism regarding the genetic capacity for resilience of the population to novel environmental stressors. These results should aid in the implementation of a species-specific management plan for this Galápagos endemic.
1. Abstract Aim The Species Threat Abatement and Restoration (STAR) metric was developed to support setting and measuring progress towards science-based targets for species conservation, in alignment with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The STAR metric quantifies the potential reduction in species’ global extinction risk achievable through actions to abate threats (STAR T ) and restore habitat (STAR R ). The STAR metric is used across multiple sectors to assess contributions to nature-positive species outcomes and implement action for biodiversity. Here we present a substantially enhanced global estimate of STAR T for terrestrial vertebrates. Developed in response to user demand, this work integrates advancements in methodology and data quality, increased spatial resolution, and addition of reptile species. Location Global Time Period Current Major taxa studied Terrestrial vertebrates Methods STAR T was estimated at 1km 2 resolution for 9,100 species of threatened and Near Threatened birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles, using IUCN Red List assessments (version 2025-1) and area of habitat (AOH) maps generated using an advanced data-driven methodology and satellite-derived land-cover data. AOH maps were validated using a two-stage protocol using species observation data. Results The six countries with the highest estimated STAR T scores, and therefore the largest individual potential to reduce global extinction risk via tackling threats nationally were Brazil, Madagascar, Indonesia, Mexico, Ecuador and Colombia (each contributing over 5% of global estimated STAR T ). The threat with the greatest individual potential to reduce extinction risk was annual and perennial non-timber crops (21.2% of global STAR T ). Main conclusions Targeted actions to tackle a few high-impact threats in a few discrete locations, and cumulative effort across multiple areas with lower individual potential, are both required to meaningfully reduce species’ extinction risk through threat abatement. This global scale estimation of STAR T enables consistent scoping of conservation opportunity over large areas and provides the critical initial data to support planning and action.
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a cornerstone of global marine biodiversity conservation strategies, yet their effectiveness remains highly variable, context-dependent, and often contested. While various methods can be used to assess the effectiveness of MPA management, they are heterogeneous in their scopes, objectives, and analytical models, each having respective strengths and limitations. Despite the common use of those methods, few studies have systematically identified and compared them, limiting our understanding of their relative suitability in a given context. This study addressed this gap by comparing the methods used to evaluate MPA management effectiveness, highlighting their advantages and limitations. Three approaches were combined: (1) an analysis of the global database on protected area management effectiveness - PAME, (2) a systematic literature review following the PRISMA protocol (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews), and (3) an expert consultation. We identified 33 methods that differ according to their geographic scale of application (global, regional, national/local), targeted protection status (e.g., all MPA sites, World Heritage Site), and management theme (e.g., governance, biological). Key differences among methods emerged in the indicators used, their implementation processes, and the tool used to conduct the actual evaluation. Findings underscore the importance of aligning method selection with evaluation objectives, the desired level of analysis, and specific evaluation requirements, thereby strengthening the robustness of MPA effectiveness assessment.
