Supplemental online material.docx

Abstract - Hatiya Upazila, a coastal island area of southern Bangladesh is an important area for artisanal fisheries, faces significant challenges in balancing fishing activities with coastal wildlife conservation. This study assessed interactions between bycatch and four wildlife groups (dolphins, birds, turtles, and sea snakes) through semi-structured interviews with 297 fishers across six landing sites (October 2023–April 2024). Results revealed that gillnets, fixed purse nets, and seine nets were the primary gears causing bycatch, with sea snakes (100%) and turtles (81.82%) most frequently entangled. While 74.07% of fishers released entangled animals alive, 25.25% discarded them dead, and 0.67% consumed them. Population declines were reported for all species except sea snakes. Attitudes toward conservation varied spatially with stronger support linked to education, public awareness and social media use. These findings suggested the need for gear-specific bycatch mitigation, community awareness programs, and enhanced enforcement to safeguard coastal wildlife.The appendices of the research is attached here.