Tubarões e raias na costa brasileira:Perspectivas a partir das mídias sociais e da ciência cidadã.

Abstract

Socio-oceanography is one of the five areas of Oceanography and integrates ecological and social aspects related to the marine environment. This field may include non-traditional scientific approaches, such as the study of public perception and citizen science, which emerge as important tools to complement scientific knowledge and enhance the effectiveness of conservation strategies. In this context, the present study aimed to characterise aspects of environmental perception and citizen science in the production of knowledge on sharks and rays in Brazil. To this end, a study was first conducted using news published by journalistic outlets on Instagram about interactions between humans and sharks along the north-eastern Brazilian coast, based on the analysis of 13,436 comments posted on 15 public news accounts, referring to different types of interaction with these animals. The analysis revealed the predominance of empathetic sentiments, indicating a growing recognition of the ecological importance of sharks. Regarding citizen science, records of manta ray sightings from the Banco Brasileiro de Mantas were characterised, based on 266 records of Mobula birostris and Mobula yarae sightings along the Brazilian coast between November 1988 and February 2025. The results demonstrated that citizen science is a valuable tool to complement traditional scientific data, particularly due to the broad spatio-temporal coverage provided by this approach, contributing to the management and conservation of these threatened species. Community engagement strengthens research by expanding data collection through the active participation of citizens, incorporating continuous records and local knowledge that complement traditional scientific methods. By combining these approaches, more effective strategies include scientific communication campaigns aimed at reducing misinformation and increasing empathy towards these animals; structured citizen science programmes with standardised protocols; regulations adapted to the local socio-economic context; and the integrated use of community monitoring data and public perception information to guide conservation policies and actions in a more inclusive and effective manner.