Journal article
From reels to research: Motivations and concerns of billfish citizen science participants
People and Nature, Vol.7(11), pp.2956-2970
2025
Abstract
Citizen science facilitates cost‐effective ecological data collection at much larger scales than would otherwise be feasible. This is particularly useful for the study of highly migratory species with broad distributions, such as billfishes.
Participants in citizen science benefit from an increase in scientific literacy, a sense of satisfaction and enhanced understanding. However, there are common challenges involved in citizen science projects, including the recruitment and long‐term retention of participants. Applying knowledge about participant motivations and concerns is needed to overcome these barriers.
We conducted an anonymous online survey of 153 game fishers from across Australia, who were largely recruited through game fishing clubs. The survey investigated their perspectives on participating in citizen science on billfish, including their motivations and concerns.
Overall, those surveyed were highly motivated to participate in billfish citizen science programmes and reported few barriers to their engagement in research. Alongside wanting to contribute to billfish research and management, game fishers were motivated to participate to counteractive potential negative perceptions of the sport. However, approximately one third of respondents had not participated in research. Therefore, opportunities for further recruitment exist as potential participants almost certainly exceed current participants. Impediments to participation included a lack of communication about opportunities and outcomes of citizen science research.
The survey highlighted a need to strengthen citizen science programmes to ensure participant retention and recruitment through targeted engagement and collaboration across organisations, which includes harnessing technology. Improved communication about the purpose and outcomes of research is key. We anticipate that our findings and recommendations are applicable to broader citizen science programmes, particularly those involving recreational fishers or a specialised pool of highly motivated participants.
Great opportunity exists for researchers, fisheries managers and fishing organisations to work together to expand citizen science programmes that strategically improve our knowledge of the biology and stocks of billfish and other recreationally important fish species.
Details
- Title
- From reels to research: Motivations and concerns of billfish citizen science participants
- Authors
- Laura M. Smith (Corresponding Author) - The University of QueenslandSamuel M. Williams - Queensland Department of Primary IndustriesJulian G. Pepperell - Pepperell Research and Consulting (Noosaville, Australia)Ian R. Tibbetts - The University of QueenslandSheridan Rabbitt - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australian Centre for Pacific Islands ResearchBonnie J. Holmes - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and EngineeringVictoria Y. Martin - Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Water
- Publication details
- People and Nature, Vol.7(11), pp.2956-2970
- Publisher
- John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
- Date published
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.1002/pan3.70174
- ISSN
- 2575-8314
- Copyright note
- © 2025 The Author(s). People and Nature published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Ecological Society. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.
- Data Availability
- Summarised survey data are available in the Supporting Information. Raw survey data cannot be stored in any publicly available database due to the conditions of approval from the University of Queensland's Office of Research Ethics. Anonymised survey data can be made available upon request.
- Grant note
- Game Fishing Association of Australia Research and Development Foundation through a gift agreement with the University of Queensland
- Organisation Unit
- Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research; School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991185245602621
- Output Type
- Journal article
Metrics
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InCites Highlights
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web Of Science research areas
- Biodiversity Conservation
- Ecology