Integrating social dimensions into management and conservation is crucial for its effectiveness. Nevertheless, most fisheries' management measures overlook the human dimension without integrating the entire social-ecological systems. Here, we bridged this gap by investigating the perceived effectiveness of a long-standing trawl ban, established in 1990 in two Sicilian gulfs - Castellammare and Catania - by employing Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK). Through questionnaires to regional artisanal fishers, the collated evidence on the functioning of the fishing ban allowed to uncover regional similarities and differences influencing the trawl ban management outcomes. Despite having identical legal measures, fishers’ perception diverged substantially between the two regions: positive social-ecological outcomes in Castellammare and negative in Catania have been reported, mainly explained by variations in enforcement, stakeholder engagement level and historical co-management structures. The low levels of enforcement for both regions reflect a persistent issue in Italian and broader Mediterranean marine management, its institutional weaknesses undermine the conservation measures success. These findings highlight the opposition to addressing “one-size-fits-all” spatial management measures, which produce unprecedented effects due to the lack of regional assessment. We call on the need to shift toward regionally tailored strategies that integrate stakeholders’ local knowledge, enhance participation and adapt to context-specific needs.
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