Factors affecting fishers' perceptions of benefits, threats, and state, and participation in Mangrove Management in Pak Phanang Bay, Thailand

Mangrove ecosystems provide a variety of services to people living on the coasts, in particular fishers whose livelihoods depend on healthy stocks of fish and other marine products. Fishers' participation and their understanding about mangroves are vital in mangrove management. This research was conducted to identify the factors contributing to the fishers' perceptions of the mangrove resources and their participation in mangrove management. In this study, mangroves in Pak Phanang Bay in Thailand were assessed in terms of state (diversity, structure, and regeneration) using the point-centered quarter method and fishers' perceptions of mangrove benefits, threats, and state, and their participation in management was investigated using a questionnaire. Ordinal logistic regression revealed that fishers' perceptions of mangrove benefits, threats, and state differed by residence location. Mangrove-related training affected perceptions of benefit and state, and participation in mangrove management, whereas local group membership affected perceptions of threat. Monthly income was identified as an important factor for participation. The perception of benefit is more important for participation in mangrove management compared with the perception of threat and mangrove state. There were some inconsistencies between the perceptions of mangrove state and the field study results; thus, it is recommended that a program that adopts a participatory approach including mangrove monitoring by the villagers could improve perceptions and understanding of mangrove state. Information on the actual state of mangroves and knowledge, particularly on mangrove ecosystem services, should be disseminated to the community via mangrove-related training and local group activities to enhance participation in mangrove management.