Conservation of endangered marine species

Conservation of Endangered Marine SpeciesConservation of Endangered Marine SpeciesMedia Advocacy and Social Marketing Media Advocacy and Social Marketing

in Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macaoin Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao

Tong Ka Io

IntroductionIntroduction

2010 – United Nations 2010 – United Nations International Year of BiodiversityInternational Year of Biodiversity

BiodiversityBiodiversity The wide variety of ecosystems and living organisms:

animals, plants, their habitats and their genes

Is the foundation of life on Earth, being crucial for the functioning of ecosystems

Creatures are interrelated and interdependent

No creature can live alone

Biodiversity crisisBiodiversity crisis Due to human activities

Decline in biodiversity is more rapid in the last 100 years than at any time in human history

Many species seriously threatened with extinction

ExtinctionExtinction The end of an organism or of a group of

organisms

Natural extinction in balance

New species emerge through speciation

Old species die out because they unable to survive or reproduce in its environment, and unable to move to a new environment

““Modern extinctions”Modern extinctions” 1500 to 2009, 875 extinctions documented

the current species extinction rate 100 to 1000 times higher than natural

If current rates of human destruction of the biosphere continue, one-half of all species on Earth will be extinct in 100 years

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

IUCN Red List IUCN Red List (2010)

Of 55926 evaluated species, at least 18351 species (33%) are known to be threatened (critically endangered, endangered and vulnerable) with extinction 20% of vertebrates

30% of invertebrates

68% of plants

50% of fungi & protists

IUCN Red List IUCN Red List (2010)

Species evaluated

Threatened species

%

Mammals 5491 1131 21%

Birds 10027 1240 12%

Reptiles 2806 594 21%

Amphibians 6296 1898 30%

Fishes 8848 1851 21%

ImplicationsImplications The diversity of nature cannot support the

current pressure that humanity is placing on the planet

We are witnessing the greatest extinction crisis

These extinctions pose a serious threat to our health and wellbeing

Why and how humans cause Why and how humans cause species extinctions?species extinctions?

Humanneedswantsgreed

Species

extinctions

The ocean is so big, The ocean is so big, but not as big as human greed!but not as big as human greed!

Commercial fishing:• 500 species regularly caught• employs 15 million people worldwide

In 1999:• 137 million tons taken• $70 billion

Global Fish Catch

Fish farming in cage

Trawler fishing

Spotter airplane

Sonar

Trawl flap

Trawl lines

Purse-seine fishing

Trawl bagFish school

Drift-net fishingLong line fishing

Lines with hooks

Fish caught by gills

Deep sea aquaculture cage

Float Buoy

Trawl

midwater

bottom

Fisheries mismanagement• Overfishing• Commercial extinction• Bycatch (27 million metric tons annually)• Targeting smaller species on the low end of the

food chain

Types of PollutionTypes of Pollution Major types of pollution in the ocean:

o Oil

o Sewage

o Garbage

o Chemicals

o Radioactive Waste

o Thermal Pollution

o Eutrophication

Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings

Fig. 55.21

Fish over harvestingFish over harvesting– Many of the world’s fisheries have been over-exploited to near extinction

– Example: bluefin tuna populations have dropped 90% since 1970

世界渔业利用强度与相对生物量关系

Shark Overfishing

• Slow growth• Low reproductive rate• Late sexual maturity

• Overexploitation by the fishing industry has greatly reduced populations of some game fish, such as bluefin tuna

• World’s fish stocks have been reduced by 90% since the start of industrial fishing

Hong KongHong Kong

Bluefin tuna and all tuna imported to Hong Kong (tons)

World Wide Fund – Hong Kong (WWF-HK)

WWF-HK’s Bluefin Saver CampaignWWF-HK’s Bluefin Saver Campaign

1. Delivery of information on bluefin tuna in crisis

2. Production of educational and supporting materials on bluefin saver, sea food guide and sustainable seafood practices

3. Conservation policy advocacy

4. Targeted behavioral packages for hotel / restaurant, corporate consumer and individual consumer

WWF-HK’s Bluefin Saver CampaignWWF-HK’s Bluefin Saver Campaign

5. Recruiting “Bluefin Saver”

6. Allying with restaurants and celebrities

7. Condemning adverse commercial activities

8. Social mobilization and social actions

WWF-HK “Bluefin Saver” campaign

Survival of bluefin tuna depends on your desire

Restaurants pledge to delete bluefin tuna from menu

Celebrities pledge not to eat bluefin tuna

Group condemns using endangered specie as promotion

Silence for bluefin tuna in front of restaurant

“Say No To Bluefin” in front of restaurant

Protest in front of restaurant

Allies and other actorsAllies and other actors Other NGOs

Celebrities: legislators, food experts, artists, etc.

Citizens

Media

Group protests in front of restaurant

Group protests in front of restaurant

Legislator promotes marine conservation

Shark fins imported to Hong Kong (tons) and endangered sharks

Hong Kong the biggest shark fin consumer worldwide

Saving shark initiativeSaving shark initiative1. Divulgating information on shark conservation

status and shark finning

2. Calling on individual consumers, corporations and restaurants not to consume or sell shark fins

3. Promoting shark-free menu and shark-free wedding

4. Condemning TV show that promoted shark fin consumption

Shark finning, shark fin consumption, TV show

Shark-free wedding

Group condemns TV show

Media play active and crucial roleMedia play active and crucial role

1. Divulgating critical information

2. Promoting benevolent values

3. Advocating for conservation policy

4. Providing practical behavioral guides

5. Countering anti-conservation practices

Eating with conscience

High level of mercury in bluefin tuna harms fetus

Endangered wild animals to be eaten

Banning urgently needed to avert extinction

Government conservation is all mouth

Human greed

Eating shark fin damages one’s good deed

Doing good deed not to eat endangered species

To save bluefin, change your choice

Alternatives for your choice

Bidding endangered tuna damages HK image

Legislator irresponsible to next generation

TaiwanTaiwan

Matsu’s Fish Conservation Union

濁水溪

外傘頂洲

七股

彰化市

Multiple development projects destroy white dolphin habitat

White dolphin conservation initiativeWhite dolphin conservation initiative

1. Information, education and on-site visits

2. Social networking and fund raising

3. Action researches

4. Advocating government to set and implement real conservation plans

5. Protest actions

Defend mouth of Jhuoshuei River the last wetland

Goodbye, white dolphins!

Community cultural event

Thousand scientists against petrochemical park

Artists united against development

Ten thousand people protest against petrochemical park

Confrontation of pro and against

What are the alarms white dolphins bring us?

Sacrifice people for giant corporate profit

Creative approach: “Environment trust”

Whole people subscribe to conserve white dolphins

15 thousands people subscribed

People’s subscription submitted to authority

Taiwan civil society mature

Mainland ChinaMainland China

Human activities make extinction rate up 1000 times

Sharks die of finning

Protect biodiversity, not to eat wild animals

Fishing suspension and releasing festival

MacauMacau

Groups advocate for marine conservation

Businessman: bidding tuna is legal business!

Legislator

Analysis and comparisonAnalysis and comparison

Primary focus

Mean Outcome

Media advocacy

Cause, principles or interest

Mass media

Social policy or decisions

Social marketing

Social good

Marketingtechniques

Personal behaviors

The actorsThe actors

The mediaThe media Traditional mass media

Newspapers

Television

Radio

……

Internet

InternetInternet E-mail

Blog

Twitter

Forums

Facebook

YouTube

……

Open to individual and small group actors

Effective and efficient tools

Fast and far reaching

Less limited by spatial boundaries

Less controlled by dominant social powers

Impact can be great

Facebook – Support Bluefin tuna ban

YouTube – Blufin Saver

YouTube – Shark finning

YouTube – White dolphin

Media advocacy strategiesMedia advocacy strategies1. Allying

2. Coping with resistance

3. Creating newsworthy stories

4. Making sense Researching and supporting

Setting agenda

Framing / reframing

Symbolizing

5. Working with different media

6. Encouraging public involvement

7. Providing possible solution

8. Advancing policy

Hong KongBluefin tuna case

TaiwanWhite dolphin case

Allying NGOs, restaurants, celebrities…… NGOs, scientists, politicians……

Coping with resistanceNegotiate with and condemn corporate

Challenge government and corporate

Creating newsworthy stories“Social marketing confronts with commercial marketing”

Mass demonstration; whole people to subscribe

Researching and supportingPresent international scientific evidence

Develop ecological research

Setting agenda Bring up media and social debateBring up media, social and political debate

Framing / reframingDesire vs lifeGreed vs conscience

Corporate profit vs people’s well-being

Symbolizing “Bluefin Saver” Polluting development mapping

Working with different mediaGet coverage in newspapers and television; Mobilize through Internet

Get coverage in newspapers and television; Mobilize through Internet

Encouraging public involvement Recruit Bluefin SaverInvolve local residents, teachers, parents and children; Whole people subscribe

Providing possible solution Trade banning Conservation plan

Advancing policyMedia pressure backed up with social actions

Media pressure backed up with mass demonstration

Social marketing strategiesSocial marketing strategies1. Market segmentation

Segmenting

Targeting

Positioning

2. Marketing mix

Product (Consumer)

Price (Cost)

Place (Convenience)

Promotion (Communication)

Publicity

Hong KongBluefin tuna case

TaiwanWhite dolphin case

Market segmentationHotel / restaurant; corporate consumer; individual consumer

Whole people (teachers and students, parents and children……)

Product (Consumer)

Differentiated behavior package as a way to save the nature and life, and to do good deed

Subscription as a way to save the land and life, and safeguard people’s well-being

Price (Cost) Practical substitutes NT$ 119 per share

Place (Convenience)Guide and substitutes are accessible everywhere

Collect in schools and streets, and on Internet

Publicity See table 2 See table 2