Why does illegal wildlife trade persist in spite of legal alternatives in transboundary regions?

Busilacchi, Sara; Butler, James; Putten, Ingrid van; Cosijn, Michaela; Posu, Joseph; Fitriana, Ria; Slamet, Archie

doi:10.1080/10871209.2021.1876963

Cited by 6 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Swim bladder values in the Gulf of Papua appear to be considerably higher than Busilacchi et al (2021) report for legal (131 PGK kg −1 ) and illegal (152 PGK kg −1 ) markets on the South Fly Coast. The differences in value are likely due to the species of origin and weight of swim bladder.…”

Section: Threat Posed By the Swim Bladder Fisherycontrasting

confidence: 54%

“…In PNG, dried swim bladder from large individuals of L. calcarifer and N. squamosa (a sciaenid) are worth 500-1400 Papua New Guinean Kina (PGK) kg −1 (1 PGK = ∼$0.28 USD, 04/04/2021) through licensed buyers in Gulf Province (Supplementary Table 9; Ibana, 2020), while in both the Western and Gulf Provinces, fishers reported value up to 10,000 PGK kg 1 from non-licensed buyers (mainly for large N. squamosa, this figure was verified several times with fishers throughout 2019-2020). Comparative to the value of shark fin (inclusive of sawfish), ∼1-75 PGK kg −1 in southern PNG (Busilacchi et al, 2021;Grant et al, 2021) or 100-350 PGK kg −1 in northern PNG (Leeney et al, 2018), swim bladder has a significantly higher economic incentive for local fishers.…”

Section: Threat Posed By the Swim Bladder Fisherymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is also possible that alternative market chains operate out of Gulf Province (and possibly extend to the eastern South Fly Coast) where the extremely high value of N. squamosa swim bladder in illegal markets was reported. Busilacchi et al (2021) indicated that end user market prices for swim bladder were 18 times higher than value local South Fly Coast fishers receive. This indicates that: (1) N. squamosa is highly valued by end users, and/or (2) the market chain operating out of the Gulf Province may have more direct links to Asia and does not appear to be subject to the same incremental price increases along its market chain (i.e., an increase of 18 times for N. squamosa based on Gulf Province illegal market value would equal ∼$50,400 USD kg −1 in end user markets).…”

Section: Threat Posed By the Swim Bladder Fisherymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Dried products such as swim bladder and shark fin are therefore more practical for local fishers (Vieira et al, 2017), notwithstanding their higher economic value than meat. Easily accessible legal and illegal trade markets for dried swim bladder and shark fin likely increase incentive for local fishers to engage in fisheries as a livelihood (Busilacchi et al, 2021;Grant et al, 2021) as other livelihood options such as agriculture are not practical in PNG's river delta environments (Allen et al, 2005). Ultimately, management is required to ensure future sustainability of PNG's inshore teleost and elasmobranch fishery resources, although the complex social and cultural characteristics of the swim bladder fishery, including its high value, present numerous challenges (Busilacchi et al, 2021;Grant et al, 2021).…”

Section: Threat Posed By the Swim Bladder Fisherymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Papua New Guinea: A Potential Refuge for Threatened Indo–Pacific River Sharks and Sawfishes

Grant

White

Amepou³

et al. 2021

Front. Conserv. Sci.

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The conservation of threatened elasmobranchs in tropical regions is challenging due to high local reliance on aquatic and marine resources. Due primarily to fishing pressure, river sharks (Glyphis) and sawfishes (Pristidae) have experienced large population declines in the Indo-Pacific. Papua New Guinea (PNG) may offer a refuge for these species, as human population density is low, and river shark and sawfish populations are thought to persist. However, few data are available on these species in PNG, and risk posed by small-scale fishers is poorly understood. This study observed elasmobranch catches in small-scale fisheries in riverine and coastal environments in the East Sepik (northern region), Gulf, and Western Provinces (southern region) of PNG. Surveys were conducted over a period of weeks to months in each region, during the dry season across seven field trips from 2017 to 2020. We observed a total of 783 elasmobranchs encompassing 38 species from 10 families. River sharks made up 29.4% of observations in the southern region, while sawfishes made up 14.8 and 20.3% in the northern and southern regions, respectively. River sharks were commonly caught by small-scale fishers in lower riverine environments in southern PNG, while sawfishes were generally less common and mainly observed through dried rostra. The primary threat to river shark and sawfish populations is their capture by small-scale fishers targeting teleosts for swim bladder. Persisting populations of river sharks and sawfishes indicate that PNG is the second known nation with viable populations of multiple species in the Indo-Pacific. However, populations are declining or at high risk of decline, and fisheries management and conservation are required to realize the potential of PNG as a long-term refuge.

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Section: Threat Posed By the Swim Bladder Fisherycontrasting

confidence: 54%

Section: Threat Posed By the Swim Bladder Fisherymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Threat Posed By the Swim Bladder Fisherymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Threat Posed By the Swim Bladder Fisherymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Papua New Guinea: A Potential Refuge for Threatened Indo–Pacific River Sharks and Sawfishes

Grant

White

Amepou³

et al. 2021

Front. Conserv. Sci.

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“…This is probably due to a lack of commercial competition in the Kikori River (only Kikori Fish Plant), whereas multiple licensed buyers exist in Daru, and they may compete for supply from local fishers on the South Fly Coast. Further information on social aspects of the shark fin trade in the wider Gulf of Papua would complement information provided by Busilacchi et al (2021) for the South Fly Coast, and ultimately be useful to inform more strategic management approaches within PNG’s shark fin trade markets. A more transparent shark fin trade in PNG would assist in enforcement of regulations for CITES restricted species and help to disincentivise the retention and sale of sawfish parts, ultimately helping to facilitate conservation of sawfish in PNG.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

Local knowledge surveys with small‐scale fishers indicate challenges to sawfish conservation in southern Papua New Guinea

Grant

White

Amepou

et al. 2021

Aquatic Conservation

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Sawfish (Pristidae) are considered to be among the most threatened families of elasmobranch (sharks and rays). There is a need to gather information on the status of poorly known sawfish populations to assist in global recovery initiatives. This study used interviews with local fishers to investigate the presence of sawfish in southern Papua New Guinea (PNG) and their interactions with and uses and values for small‐scale fishers. A range of sawfish size classes are still encountered throughout southern PNG, while juvenile largetooth sawfish Pristis pristis were additionally reported in the freshwater reaches of all rivers surveyed. Reports of large size classes in estuarine and marine environments provide an optimistic outlook that sawfish populations persist throughout southern PNG. Most fishers that catch sawfish retain them for various uses including consumption and for the sale of meat, fins and occasionally rostra. Negative population trends including decreases in catch frequency and/or size classes were reported by 66% of interviewees, with the largest declines being reported in the Kikori River. The increasing technical capacity of small‐scale fishers, their preference for gillnetting and the emerging market for teleost swim bladder (a high‐value fishery product) present a major ongoing threat to sawfish in southern PNG. Furthermore, the tendency of fishers to kill or remove rostra from entangled sawfish results in high fishing mortality regardless of any use by the fisher. This study indicates that considerable community engagement will be necessary to manifest any legislative actions or increased enforcement on international trade regulations for sawfish in PNG. This is due to traditional land and waterway ownership values throughout PNG and the local perception of sawfish as a traditional food resource rather than an animal of intrinsic biodiversity value as perceived by global conservationists. Future research should consider exploring culturally appropriate conservation initiatives that are likely to achieve engagement and participation from local fishers.

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Determining the species composition of the shark fin trade in Singapore: a globally significant Southeast Asian market

Murillo Rengifo,

Choy,

Gowidjaja

et al. 2024

Rev Fish Biol Fisheries

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Why does illegal wildlife trade persist in spite of legal alternatives in transboundary regions?

Cited by 6 publications

References 39 publications

Papua New Guinea: A Potential Refuge for Threatened Indo–Pacific River Sharks and Sawfishes

Papua New Guinea: A Potential Refuge for Threatened Indo–Pacific River Sharks and Sawfishes

Local knowledge surveys with small‐scale fishers indicate challenges to sawfish conservation in southern Papua New Guinea

Determining the species composition of the shark fin trade in Singapore: a globally significant Southeast Asian market

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