Inform the public of ways to reduce disturbance to marine and freshwater mammals (e.g. use educational signs)

Overall effectiveness category Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)
Number of studies: 1
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How is the evidence assessed?

Effectiveness

20%
Certainty

30%
Harms

0%

Calculating overall effectiveness category

Background information and definitions

This intervention involves providing information to the public, e.g. in the form of educational signs, with the aim of reducing disturbance to marine and freshwater mammals during recreational activities. This may be particularly beneficial at tourist sites that receive a high number of visitors, or in areas that are popular for watersports. Information may include guidance on approach distances, how to safely operate vessels around mammals, and instructions not to touch, feed, photograph or interact with mammals.

Study locations

Key messages

One study evaluated the effects of informing the public of ways to reduce disturbance to marine and freshwater mammals. The study was in the South Pacific Ocean (New Zealand).

COMMUNITY RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)

POPULATION RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)

BEHAVIOUR (0 STUDIES)

OTHER (1 STUDY)

Change in human behaviour (1 study): One controlled study in the South Pacific Ocean found that tourist groups that observed information signs approached and disturbed New Zealand fur seals in similar numbers to those that did not.

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Supporting evidence from individual studies

A controlled study in 2009 at a peninsula in the South Pacific Ocean, New Zealand (Acevedo-Gutierrez et al. 2011) found that tourist groups that observed information signs approached and disturbed New Zealand fur seals Arctocephalus forsteri in similar numbers to those that did not observe signs. The percentage of tourist groups that remained >5 m from seals was similar whether they had observed signs (61%) or not (66%). The percentage of groups in which at least one person attempted to touch seals also did not differ significantly (observed signs: 1.4%; did not observe signs: 2.4%). The same was true for the percentage of groups that caused seals to move away (observed signs: 12%; did not observe signs: 9%). In summer 2009, a total of 362 tourist groups (each with an average of three people) visited a seal colony over 20 days. Each visit lasted an average of 25–26 minutes. Several signs posted around the site stated that visitors must remain >10 m from seals on land. A total of 236 groups observed signs, 126 groups did not. Trained observers on a cliff top recorded whether each of the 362 tourist groups observed signs (walked up to them) and how they interacted with the seals.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Acevedo-Gutierrez A., Acevedo L., Belonovich O. & Boren L. (2011) How effective are posted signs to regulate tourism? An example with New Zealand fur seals. Tourism in Marine Environments, 7, 39-41.

Please cite as:

Berthinussen, A., Smith, R.K. and Sutherland, W.J. (2021) Marine and Freshwater Mammal Conservation: Global Evidence for the Effects of Interventions. Conservation Evidence Series Synopses. University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

List of journals searched by synopsis

All the journals searched for all synopses

This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Marine and Freshwater Mammal Conservation

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