Effective marine governance requires understanding not just what communities value, but how those values can be incorporated into policy and management. This study combined a pilot survey and a discrete choice experiment (DCE; n = 149) with thematic analysis to quantify values for pygmy blue whale conservation in Western Australia, an endangered population still recovering from commercial whaling.
The probability of conservation success was the primary driver of choice, with marginal willingness-to-pay of AUD $4.44 per percentage-point increase (AUD $444 for full recovery), estimated under cost-of-living pressures. In contrast, policy attributes such as implementation timeframe and management mechanism were not significant, indicating that respondents prioritise outcomes over processes, specifically whether whales recover rather than how recovery is achieved.
Thematic analysis revealed overwhelmingly non-economic values, with environmental, intrinsic, and socio-cultural dimensions dominating responses. Some 83% reported extreme or very high concern for blue whale conservation; however, value orientation rather than concern intensity was the primary driver of choice behaviour, suggesting broad social licence that does not depend on direct engagement with whales.
Together, these findings highlight an opportunity to strengthen marine policy by integrating outcome-based, non-economic social value metrics alongside existing regulatory approaches, improving alignment between management strategies and community expectations.