Ecotourism and freshwater biodiversity conservation

PhD: Ecotourism and freshwater biodiversity conservation in Scottish lochs

Ecotourism and freshwater biodiversity conservation in Scottish lochs  

Author: Celia Delugin

Supervisors: Prof Eric Verspoor, Prof Vicky Johnson and Prof Martin Price

Funders: European Social Fund and Scottish Funding Council

This thesis enriches understandings of people’s perceptions of freshwater biodiversity and fish, and its implication for conservation and messaging in an ecotourism context, by focusing on three case study lochs in Scotland. It identified interlinked mechanisms for the success of freshwater ecotourism within various layers of context, including at the environmental/physical, sociocultural, and place levels. Therefore, this study aims to help to assist stakeholders in collectively planning for future ecotourism initiatives in support of freshwater conservation of underwater biodiversity.