References
Agbeja, Y. E. (2025). Recent advances and progress in governance strategies for sustainable coastal fisheries in Nigeria. International Journal of Recent Advances in Multidisciplinary Topics, 6(7), 96–105. Agunsoye, R., Okoye, C., & Sankey, Z. (2025). Blue Economy, sustainable development and economic growth in Nigeria. International Journal of Development and Economic Sustainability, 13(1), 1–17. Asua, S. A., & Nwangwu, C. (2025). Maritime insecurity, environmental degradation and the development of Nigeria's Blue Economy. Journal of Asian and African Studies, 1–17. Cinner, J. E., Huchery, C., Darling, E. S., Humphries, A. T., Graham, N. A. J., Hicks, C. C., Marshall, N., & McClanahan, T. R. (2013). Evaluating social and ecological vulnerability of coral reef fisheries to climate change. PLoS ONE, 8(9), e74321. Effe, S., Nsa, J., & Brown, S. N. (2025). Blue Economy and economic diversification in Nigeria: Emerging challenges and prospects. International Journal of Advanced Research in Public Policy, Administration and Development Strategies, 7(1), 185–195. Esin, J. O., Okon, N. B., & Okore, S. K. (2025). Community understanding of the concept of Blue Economy and its socio-economic impact on livelihood in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 9(1), 579–593. Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy. (2025). Sustainable Maritime Prosperity Policy Portal. Abuja: Government of Nigeria. Kabari, S. N., Zabbey, N., Gbaa, N. D., Ezurike, J. C., & Okoro, C. M. (2023). Towards a framework for mangrove restoration and conservation in Nigeria. Regional Studies in Marine Science, 66, 103154. Kittinger, J. N., Finkbeiner, E. M., Glazier, E. W., & Crowder, L. B. (2013). Human dimensions of coral reef social-ecological systems. Ecology and Society, 17(4), 17. National Bureau of Statistics. (2024). Demographic and social statistics report: Rivers State. Abuja: Government of Nigeria. Odey, S. A. (2025). The Nigerian Blue Economy: Opportunities and difficulties for economic development. UNM Online Journal Systems. Oladeji, S. O., Alabi, O. I., & Ijose, O. A. (2025). Cultural ecosystem service of the marine coastal area of Nigeria: A case study of Ondo and Lagos States. Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change, 23(4), 1–22. Onwubiko, C. C., & Aheto, D. W. (2025). Perceptions and awareness of the effectiveness of nature-based solutions in selected coastal communities of Rivers State, Nigeria. Preprints.org. Osuji, J. N., & Agbakwuru, J. (2024). Ocean and coastal resources components and their contributions to sustainable development of Nigeria. Journal of Applied Science and Environmental Management, 28(1), 135–146. Owubokiri, A. T., & Joe-Onyema, O. J. (2025). Legal appraisal of marine biodiversity conservation in Nigeria: Lessons from the UK and the USA. AELN Journal of Multidisciplinary and Current Studies, 3(1), 1–15. Rivers State Government. (2024). Official profile of Rivers State. Port Harcourt: Government of Rivers State. Roberts, C. M., O’Leary, B. C., McCauley, D. J., Cury, P. M., Duarte, C. M., Lubchenco, J., Pauly, D., Sáenz-Arroyo, A., Sumaila, U. R., Wilson, R. W., Worm, B., & Castilla, J. C. (2017). Marine reserves can mitigate and promote adaptation to climate change. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 114(24), 6167–6175. IJGEM IIARD International Journal of Geography & Environmental Management Stakeholder Democracy Network . (2024). Mangrove restoration and conservation initiatives to accelerate nature-based solutions. Port Harcourt: SDN. Vincent, H. D., Eche, E., & Pajo, A. (2025). Potential of marine and aquatic resources in Nigeria's Blue Economy. Journal of Social Sciences and Development Research, 2(1). Yamane, T. (1967). Statistics: An introductory analysis (2nd ed.). Harper and Row. IJGEM IIARD International Journal of Geography & Environmental Management Supporting Information Questionnaire: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Livelihood Dependence Regarding Marine Conservation Section A: Socio-Demographic Information 1. Age: ______ years 2. Gender: ☐ Male ☐ Female 3. Occupation: ☐ Fishing ☐ Aquaculture ☐ Trading ☐ Farming ☐ Other (specify) ______ 4. Education level: ☐ No formal ☐ Primary ☐ Secondary ☐ Tertiary 5. Household size: ______ persons Section B: Knowledge of Marine Conservation 6. Have you heard of marine conservation practices? ☐ Yes ☐ No 7. Which of the following conservation practices are you aware of? (Check all that apply) ☐ Mangrove restoration ☐ Regulated fishing seasons ☐ Marine protected areas ☐ Waste management ☐ None 8. On a scale of 1 to 5, how would you rate your knowledge of marine conservation? ☐ 1 (Very low) ☐ 2 ☐ 3 (Moderate) ☐ 4 ☐ 5 9. Have you ever received training or sensitisation on marine conservation? ☐ Yes ☐ No Section C: Attitudes Toward Sustainable Marine Practices 10. Do you believe sustainable marine practices (e.g., regulated fishing, mangrove protection) are important? ☐ Yes ☐ No 11. Would you be willing to adopt sustainable practices even if they reduce your short-term income? ☐ Yes ☐ No ☐ Not sure 12. How dependent is your household on marine resources for livelihood? ☐ Very dependent ☐ Moderately dependent ☐ Slightly dependent ☐ Not dependent 13. On a scale of 1 to 5, how supportive are you of community-based marine conservation initiatives? ☐ 1 (Not supportive) ☐ 2 ☐ 3 (Neutral) ☐ 4 ☐ 5 (Highly supportive)
