Working with communities in Sri Lanka and India that fish across the north and central parts of the Indian Ocean, the project is investigating what motivates people to fish illegally. With a research team that includes social scientists and management and policy experts, the findings of the project will be used to understand what determines whether people comply or not with legislation, and what deterrents are likely to be most effective. Combined with enforcement, these strategies can then be applied across the entire Indian Ocean region to reduce levels of illegal fishing, particularly in marine protected areas.
Lead investigators: Dr. Ana Nuno (Nova University), Dr. Asha de Vos (Oceanswell).