Graphical Abstract Highlight Research 1. Fishers in Brunei-Muara show significantly lower ecological knowledge of sea turtle bycatch overall. 2. Full-time fishers and those in Zone 3 demonstrate stronger ecological knowledge than others. 3. Migrant crew (Indonesian/Filipino) reported higher bycatch-related practices than Bruneian fishers; however, nationality is fully confounded with occupational role in this sample and cannot be interpreted as an independent effect. 4. Bycatch practice and perception scores differed significantly across fishing zones overall; Zone 2 fishers scored highest on post-hoc pairwise comparison. Abstract Sea turtle bycatch threatens marine conservation, yet fisher-based evidence from Brunei Darussalam remains limited. This study examined ecological knowledge, self-reported bycatch practices and perceptions, exposure to turtle endangerment, and awareness of conservation legislation among fishers in Brunei-Muara District. A cross-sectional survey conducted during October–December 2021 used a structured questionnaire administered to 41 fishers recruited through convenience sampling. The questionnaire included turtle identification, fishing practices, and conservation awareness. Of respondents, 80.5% reported encountering sea turtles while fishing, whereas 6.1% reported accidental captures during the preceding five years. Only 12.1% knew of legislation prohibiting turtle hunting, despite widespread reported encounters. Local ecological knowledge differed across fishing dependence, fishing frequency, consistency of gear use, and fishing zones; bycatch practice and perception scores also varied across zones. Fishers operating in Zone 3 had higher ecological knowledge scores, whereas those in Zone 2 reported higher bycatch practice and perception scores than those in Zone 1. However, nationality and occupational role were fully confounded, preventing independent interpretation of apparent differences between these groups. Together, these observations reveal heterogeneity in fisher knowledge and reported practices, particularly across fishing activities and zones, alongside limited legislative awareness. They provide an initial basis for tailored conservation communication and subsequent monitoring rather than population-wide estimates of turtle interactions. The small convenience sample, reliance on self-reports, and presence of a fisheries representative during interviews may have influenced disclosure of sensitive practices. Broader sampling and independent monitoring are needed to evaluate bycatch patterns and inform conservation responses across fishing communities in Brunei Darussalam.
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