This field manual draws on scientific literature (e.g., Martin et al. 2016, Haensch et al. 2020), national and regional workshops with MPA managers, and the building of a national socio-economic baseline across Commonwealth waters (Navarro et al. 2021). The survey approach has been refined through partnerships with First Nations peoples of Wadandi and Wudjari Country in the south-west of Australia (‘Country’ referring to the land, sea and waterways First Nations people are connected to), and a national working group of marine social and biodiversity scientists, following the collaborative and iterative approach described in Przeslawski et al. (2023). The final survey has been piloted across Western Australia in Baiyungu (Coral Bay), West Coastal Thalanyji (Exmouth), Yinikurtura (Cape Range), Malgana (Shark Bay), Wadandi (Ngari Capes), Wudjari (Esperance), Whadjuk (Perth) and Ngarluma (Karratha) Country.
Whilst guiding principles for social-economic science are commonly published and used, the standardisation of protocols through field manuals are unusual as the survey instruments and methodology deployed are often customised to suit individual research questions and context (Pomeroy et al. 2005, Moon et al. 2016). Despite the undeniable importance of context, we aim to promote consistency across MPA recreational user research by providing a standard field manual for conducting MPA recreational users’ KAP surveys. Adopting consistent approaches enables managers to assess changes and effectiveness of management over time (Pomeroy et al. 2005), make national-level comparisons and syntheses, generate insights beyond the scope of single studies and provides a scalable platform to conduct robust socio-economic science. This field manual has been established with an Australian focus (especially with regards to approvals and collaboration with First Nations peoples), but can be adapted to other contexts where recreational users interact with MPAs.
This field manual describes six sequential steps for planning, conducting, analysing and publishing results from MPA recreational users’ KAP surveys (Figure 1). The six steps are described in detail below.
Figure 1: The six steps outlined in this field manual for conducting MPA recreational users’ KAP surveys.