Paying fishers to release endangered catches can aid conservation but only if done right, study shows

A new study from the University of Oxford has revealed that an incentive programme increased live releases of endangered species caught as bycatch. However, unexpectedly, the overall positive impact was reduced by some vessels increasing catches of these species. The study, published in the journal Science Advances, is the world’s first randomised controlled trial to conclusively assess the effectiveness of an incentive-based marine conservation programme.