Presentation
Background
This protocol is designed to tap into the Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) of small-scale fishers across various Mediterranean countries. It features a detailed survey using a semi-structured questionnaire to explore the distribution, abundance, historical changes, and seasonal patterns of selected shark species. Mapping exercises will help link the collected information to specific areas at sea, providing an opportunity to identify potential hotspots, aggregation zones, or nursery areas.
This questionnaire offers a unique chance to harness the collective experience of fishers from different nations, transcending national borders and jurisdictions. By valuing their knowledge, we aim to enhance our capacity for shark conservation, both locally and regionally. The aim is to provide a common and harmonized approach for investigating Mediterranean sharks according to a Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) approach.
What skills do I need to interview fishers?
Interviewers must be skilled in the taxonomic identification of shark species and have the attitude to speak with local fishers. Fisheries biologists and researchers with long-lasting experience and relationships with local fishers are ideal for the implementation of this protocol.
How can I select the areas of study in my country?
In each country, partners will identify one or more study areas where to conduct the interviews. The selection of these areas could be motivated by geographical differences and the existing knowledge of Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRA, see https://sharkrayareas.org).
How many fishers do I have to interview? How can I select them?
Interviews will be realized by engaging at least 10 fishers per study area. Partners should select trustful fishers interacting with shark species. Older fishers are preferred to younger ones and it is suggested not to interview fishers with less than 10 years of experience at sea. Try also to avoid fishers who have stopped their activities or have changed their fishing gear or their fishing areas during their career. At the end of the interview, interviewers can ask the fisher to suggest other fishers to be interviewed. This snowball approach maximizes the probability of selecting the most expert fishers in each area.
What shark species do we investigate?
The SHARKnowledge protocol focuses on two groups of species.
- Common species: represented by 9 species to be investigated in all Mediterranean countries according to a series of questions.
Alopias vulpinus Thresher shark
Carcharhinus plumbeus Sandbar shark
Isurus oxyrinchus Shortfin mako
Mustelus mustelus Smooth-hound
Mustelus punctulatus Blackspotted smooth-hound
Prionace glauca Blue shark
Squalus acanthias Picked dogfish
Squalus blainville Longnose spurdog
Squatina spp. Angel shark (could be either Squatina squatina, S. oculata or S. aculeata)
- Rare species: these are rare or endangered species significant enough to warrant single occurrence records.
Database
Database organisation
In the database, a unique code will be automatically generated after data collection to link all questionnaires from the same fisher. The format will follow this structure: Country_Date_interviewer_FisherNumber
- Country: Code ISO 3166 Alpha-2
- Date: YYYY-MM-DD
- Interviewer: initials of the interviewer
- FisherNumber: starting with ‘F’ followed by 2 digits
For example:
- EG_2025-08-01_MF_F02
It will represent the second fisher interviewed on August 1, 2025, by Mahmoud Farrag in Egypt.
Data collection
Data collected on KoBoToolbox are stored on Amazon Web Services (AWS) servers. These servers are secure and follow strict data protection standards.
More info on data storage.
More info on data security measures.
Data access and ownership
CIESM, serving as the administrator of the project, provides access to Kobotoolbox questionnaires. Each project member will be granted access to the Kobotoolbox platform using a unique username and password provided by CIESM.
CIESM and national partners share data access: each country can access its own data, while CIESM centralizes the full dataset. A first basin-scale publication will be coordinated by CIESM, with all partners included as co-authors. To preserve the value of this joint effort, individual publications by partners should be avoided. However, special permission can be granted upon request, depending on the context.
Preparation before fieldwork (important)
List of materials when going in the field
- Your smartphone
- Pre-printed nautical maps (prepared and sent by CIESM in advance, format A4) for ‘Common species’ and ‘Rare Species‘
- A grey pencil and an eraser
- CIESM Guide of shark species (printed and used during the interview)
- Gifts for fishers (CIESM caps, cups, t-shirts)
Using your smartphone to reply to complete the questionnaires
Choose this option if your smartphone run Android:
📱Connect to Kobotoolbox (Mobile Application)
Download KoboCollect on your Playstore (only available on Android)
- Open the app
- ⚙️ In Settings:
– Enter the URL: https://kf.kobotoolbox.org
– Add your Username and Password (communicated by CIESM) - Select Download form:
– Download all the questionnaires - Tap Start New Form:
– Select the questionnaire you want to fill.
Managing Forms:
- Drafts:
– Your current questionnaire is automatically saved as a draft.
- Delete:
– you can delete a specific questionnaire if needed. - Ready to Send:
– Completed forms are stored locally and must be sent manually to the server.
N.B.: Please ensure that questionnaires are submitted right after each fisher interview to maintain data accuracy and completeness.
Otherwise, choose this option if your smartphone does not run Android:
🌐 Connect to KoboToolbox (Web Interface)
accessible via a web browser on any device (computer, tablet, iOS, Android…).
- Account access:
– Enter your username and password (communicated by CIESM) - Familiarize yourself with the different questionnaires here:
– Questionnaire: General Info
– Questionnaire: Common Species (to be repeated for each species the fisher chooses)
– Questionnaire: Socio-economic
Help with the mapping exercises
All maps were built in QGIS.
- /!\ Important: Please use only these standardised maps, no other printed maps will be accepted
- The use of a grey pencil (and an eraser) is recommended to make those drawing
- On the Common Species map fishers can only draw circle (polygon), no crosses neither dots
- On the Rare Species map, fishers can draw closed polygons, dots and crosses
- The paper maps must be kept in good condition, to be scanned later
- Interviewers will then scan and send by email to CIESM (sharknowledgeciesm@gmail.com) for georeferencing in QGIS.
Map explanations
For Common Species
For each species selected, the fisher is asked to draw on the map the areas where individuals of that species are most commonly observed.
Use one A4-format map for each species (prepared by CIESM). The fisher does not have to draw a specific shape, such as a circle or square. Instead, he should draw the shape that he thinks best suits the geography of the area where he has seen or caught the sharks he is talking about.
For Rare Species
The fisher is invited to share any occasional observations of species that are rarely seen in the region through a dedicated mapping exercise.
Using a pre-prepared A4-format map (provided by CIESM), ask the fisher to indicate each observation either by placing a cross or drawing a polygon to indicate an approximate area. Each marked point or area should be labeled with a ‘1’ or ‘2’, corresponding to the observation. The map legend allows for two distinct observations. If the fisher wishes to share more than two, you may record the additional information on the back of the map.
A step-by-step guide to conducting an interview
Approaching the fisher
Interviews will be conducted with individual fishers. Fishers must be interviewed only once. Considering that ‘sharks’ can be a sensitive subject of research and considering that fishers can mistrust researchers, we suggest to:
- Be humble.
- Behave like a facilitator and not an expert.
- Show a genuine interest in what respondents say.
- Keep the interview on track.
- Critically review the received information.
A selection of respondents should be made based on their trustworthiness, availability, and knowledge of sharks. Before starting the interview, explain the aims of the survey and ask the respondent his/her oral consensus to use these data for scientific purposes.
Start the interview
You have selected a trustworthy fisher with experience on sharks. While explaining the objectives of your research you should formally ask for his/her consensus by reading the Statement.
Statement
Read this to the respondents:
Before we begin the interview, I’d like to inform you about our privacy practices to ensure you are comfortable and aware of how your information will be handled. This interview is aimed at collecting information on a number of shark species for scientific and conservation purposes. The information you provide will be kept confidential and will only be used for these purposes.
Your responses will support scientific research and the recommendation for shark conservation in the Mediterranean Sea. Questions will take 30 to 45 minutes to complete. Your participation in this survey is voluntary and confidential. We will not record your name or any personal information you share with us unless this is ok with you. Individual responses will be compiled and reported collectively to provide an overview of the current status of sharks. We guarantee that your responses will not be shared with anyone outside the research team. You do not have to answer questions you do not want to.
Thanks for your help!
This project is managed by the Mediterranean Science Commission (CIESM) as part of the CIESM Migratory Species Program, co-financed through a grant from the Prince Albert II Foundation. |
- Questionnaire on fisher’s General information
📱KoboCollect app:
- Start New Form
- Click on ‘Questionnaire: General info’
🌐KoboToolbox website:
- Questionnaire on Common Species
📱KoboCollect app:
- Start New Form
- Click on ‘Questionnaire: Common Species’
N.B. : this questionnaire must be completed separately for each species the fisher selected from the list of 9 species.
- Mapping exercise for Common Species
- Use the pre-printed blank map of the region concerned.
- Fill in the label section with the species you are focusing on.
- Let the fisher draw the areas where the species is most observed on the map, using polygons only.
Optional: if the fisher is aware:
– indicate with an ‘A’ the aggregation areas of adults
– indicate with a ‘Y’ the aggregation areas of young/small individuals - Review: Check the map for any errors.
- Repeat these steps at the end of each completed ‘Common Species’ questionnaire.
N.B. : Do not forget to fill in the following information on each map: interviewer’s name, date, fisher n° (of the day), and the shark species name.
- Mapping exercise for Rare Species
- Use the pre-printed blank map of the region concerned.
- Fill in the label section the information asked related to the observation.
- Ask the fisher to draw on the map the location where the observation was made (using crosses or freehand polygons).
- If there are multiple observations, number each one on the map (e.g., 1, 2) to match the corresponding observation. If the fisher shares more than two observations, note the extra ones on the back of the map.
- Review: Check the map for any errors.
N.B.: Do not forget to fill in the following information on each map: interviewer’s name, date, fisher n° (of the day), the shark species or taxa name in latin , the numbers observed, whether the species was observed or caught, if caught indicate the fishing techniques used, year of observation/capture, season and finally the depth of the capture (optional).
- Questionnaire on Socio-economic information
📱KoboCollect app:
- Start New Form
- Click on ‘Questionnaire: Socio-economic’
🌐KoboToolbox website:
N.B.: For this exercise, please summarize the fisher’s responses using concise notes and relevant keywords.