Perceptions of Gozitan people about marine protected areas and their ecosystem services

Abstract

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) serve to protect the marine and coastal biodiversity. An effective management plan is crucial for these objectives to be reached and various principles and processes are necessary. These include education, outreach and awareness building. Regarding the local situation, research on MPAs is limited, particularly on MPAs in Gozo. In fact, the aim of this study was to shed light on the knowledge Gozitans have on MPAs, what values they associate with them and how education can enact change. Two Gozitan areas with a MPA in their locality (Xagħra and San Lawrenz) and a locality without a MPA (Victoria) were identified as being ideal for this study. A mixed method approach was adopted and entailed the collection of data from qualitative and quantitative aspects. The quantitative research was performed first and this consisted of questionnaires that were distributed in the three localities. The qualitative data consisted of fifteen interviews - basically five interviewees from each locality. The analysis of the quantitative data by means of SPSS included descriptive analysis for each question followed by inferential statistics. The qualitative part included the analysis of the verbatim that led to a thematic approach analysis. The study shows that there is lack of knowledge with regards to MPAs and that the value associated with them is mainly ecological. Moreover, results show that there is a general demand for more education and awareness on MPAs. In response to these findings, a number of recommendations and a list of possible activities are mentioned together with different stakeholders who could contribute towards incorporating ESD principles in marine education. A visual diagram that illustrates the way forward in this regard is presented.