Public perceptions of the Channel Ecosystem Angela Carpenter1,2, Rebecca Shellock3, Steve Fletcher1,4 & Gillian Glegg1 1 Centre for Marine and Coastal Policy Research (MarCoPol) Plymouth University 2 School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds. 3 Plymouth Marine Laboratory 4 UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP WCMC) #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

PEGASEAS Project Promoting Effective Governance of the Channel Ecosystem (PEGASEAS). Project duration: 2013-2014 Aim of project: to provide clear, powerful, communicable advice to support improved governance of the Channel Ecosystem. #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

Project partners and funders #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

#RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

PEGASEAS Project Work Package 3.4 - Public perceptions survey. This research was intended to provide recommendations and identify future challenges for the INTERREG V Programme. There is a lack of assessment of how the public use the Channel, improved information will help to underpin our evidence base on how the public engage with the marine and coastal environment. (2) Public support is highly influential in determining the success of management, planning and conservation in the Channel region. Understanding the public’s views on future priorities for the governance of the Channel will enable national and local authorities to make informed decisions on future funding priorities and management. (3) There is a lack of information on how actively the Channel community engage in pro- environmental behaviours, behaviours that consciously seek to minimise impact on the environment. This knowledge will assist in developing and targeting future educational and awareness strategies #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

Aim of PEGASEAS Survey To improve our understanding of the public priorities for the Channel Ecosystem. #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

Limited understanding of: The public’s use of the Channel (England and France). The public’s perception of the Channel’s marine and coastal environment and the current governance system. The Channel community engagement in behaviours that consciously seek to minimise impact on the environment (pro-environmental behaviours) There is a lack of assessment of how the public use the Channel, improved information will help to underpin our evidence base on how the public engage with the marine and coastal environment. (2) Public support is highly influential in determining the success of management, planning and conservation in the Channel region. Understanding the public’s views on future priorities for the governance of the Channel will enable national and local authorities to make informed decisions on future funding priorities and management. (3) There is a lack of information on how actively the Channel community engage in pro- environmental behaviours, behaviours that consciously seek to minimise impact on the environment. This knowledge will assist in developing and targeting future educational and awareness strategies #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

Why PPR in the Channel? (1) To improve understanding of how the public engage with the marine environment. (2) To gain support for research projects and studies. (3) To support policy and decision making. #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

PPR literature Growing area of research (in context of marine and coastal environment). Key papers: Paper Focus Jefferson et al (2014) Public perception of UK marine environment. Capstick et al (2014) Public perception of cold weather events in the UK (climate change) Potts et al (2016) Public perception of EU marine and coastal environment (coastal values) #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

Survey Objectives To identify the public’s use of the Channel To establish the public’s priorities for funding (what they would spend public money on) To explore the public’s pro-environmental behaviours (e.g. buying sustainable fish, or using fewer plastic bags). #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

Study area #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

Respondent profile #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

Method Online survey Commissioned external market research company (Global Marketing Insite, GMI) Sample size (n)= 2000 England: 999 France: 1001 #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

Survey questions Survey Questions Public use of the Channel (English Channel/La Manche) Q1: How often do you visit the English Channel? Q2: Why do you visit the English Channel? Q3: What do you do when you visit the English Channel? 2. Public funding priorities for the Channel Q4: If there was public funding available to improve the English Channel, how would you spend it? Q5: This question focuses specifically on the marine and coastal environment. If there was public funding available, how would you spend it? 3. Participation in pro-environmental behaviours Q6: Based on your knowledge and responses to this survey, have you or would you be willing to change your behaviour to protect the environment? #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

Focus of presentation Survey Questions Public use of the Channel Ecosystem (English Channel/La Manche) Q1: How often do you visit the English Channel? Q2: Why do you visit the English Channel? Q3: What do you do when you visit the English Channel? 2. Public funding priorities for the Channel Q5: This question focuses specifically on the marine and coastal environment. If there was public funding available, how would you spend it? 3. Participation in pro-environmental behaviours Q6: Based on your knowledge and responses to this survey, have you or would you be willing to change your behaviour to protect the environment? #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

Results #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

Public use of the English Channel (1) Q1. How frequently do you visit the Channel Coast? #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

Public use of the English Channel (2) Q2. Why do you visit the Channel Coast? #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

Public use of the English Channel (3) Q3. What do you do when you visit the Channel Coast? #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

Marine and coastal priorities for funding What are the public’s priorities (Q5)? #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

Marine and coastal priorities for funding Support for spending example . #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

Pro-environmental behaviours #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

Pro-environmental behaviours Q6 Option: “I already do this” #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

Pro-environmental behaviours Q6 Option: “I like my lifestyle the way it is and am not likely to make this change” #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

Key messages Public survey identifies how different groups – by age, gender, location, etc. – use and value the Channel Region Respondents were encouraged to think about the Channel region / environment and what it actually means to them Respondents had a context to think about their own behaviour and how they might change it in future, e.g. buying sustainable fish, using less plastic bags, participating in environmental activities Pro-environmental behaviours are currently low in the Channel region. #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

Applications of research Contributed to evidence base on how the public engages with marine and coastal environment. Understanding of public views on future priorities for governance could help national and local authorities to make informed decisions on future funding priorities and management. #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

Applications of research Understanding how the Channel community engages in pro-environmental behaviours will help to assist and target future educational and awareness strategies. To develop novel ways to engage and establish connections between society and the sea (Jefferson et al., 2015). #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

Gaps/future research Jefferson et al (2015)- priority areas for research. Channel region: Pro-environmental behaviours (e.g. link between rubbish and own behaviour) Benefits from the sea (links to human health and well-being) Public perceptions of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Public perceptions of health of the Channel ecosystem #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC

For further information: Thank you For further information: Angela Carpenter a.carpenter@leeds.ac.uk Report available at: http://www.pegaseas.eu/ #RGSCMRG @DrAngelaC