Until today poachers and hunters are thought of as the villains when it comes to conservation, and there is no doubt that most of them are. They are the ones fueling the markets, increasing the wildlife trade around the world. But only when people believe in people, will this scenario of conservation change. I can confidently speak for most scientists around the world, when I say that, in this day and age, protection of species and ecosystems across the globe is in the hands of the people, whether they may or may not be aware of this.
Making the local people, ethnic tribes and common man realize the importance of biodiversity and involving them in contributing towards the same is the most powerful research tool of conservation, today. This is the case in Mexico, where shark fishers and hunters have turned towards protecting these fishes for their bread and butter. Hunting is their means of livelihood, and giving that up to take a radically different approach and protect certain species is a tough decision. But yet, they have now taken to ecotourism and spreading awareness.
Fishing communities have been increasingly involved in such conservation practices thanks to local organizations that make them realize the significance of biodiversity and that of their own indigenous knowledge. They will be given ownership of resources for the same, and the rapidly declining populations of large fishes will be saved. These hunters turned enthusiasts also know for a fact that ‘beach patrolling’ and ‘naval patrols’ are absolutely mandatory for the protection of such species, and no amount of ‘critical’ status classification makes any difference. Such information is valuable to conservation.
Source: National Geographic