Fisher awareness is crucial for compliance with regulatory frameworks concerning endangered marine species

Top-down management strategies, such as imposing moratoriums, tend to generate serious conflicts and socioeconomic impacts. This study aimed to assess the perceptions and awareness of fishers from the Marine Extractive Reserve of Corumbau (MERC), in the state of Bahia, northeastern Brazil, concerning Ordinance 445 in Brazil, which imposed a fishing moratorium on 409 fish species in the country in 2014. Semi-structured interviews were applied to 214 fishers and some actions were taken to clarify ordinance information. Most participants (59.8 %) knew about the existence of Ordinance 445. However, they complain that the public power has not adequately fulfilled the role of clarifying information concerning the moratorium and its consequences. Respondents also complained about the lack of communication and sensitivity of the Brazilian government when imposing the aforementioned ordinance. Most fishers (74.3 %) cited three or fewer common names of species they believed to be under moratorium, and averaged 2.3 names (SD = ± 1.5). Also, most participants (69.6 %) indicated presentations and explanatory lectures in meetings as an effective means for clarifying information on the imposed moratorium. However, it is imperative that, in addition to just informing fishers, the establishment of effective management and conservation strategies for marine resources includes consultation and direct participation of these social actors, especially in small-scale fishing contexts carried out in developing countries.