CANADIAN PERCEPTIONS OF COMMERCIAL FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AND MARINE MAMMAL CONSERVATION IN THE NORTHWEST ATLANTIC-OCEAN

Public attitudes toward the use of fisheries and marine mammals in the northwest Atlantic have played an influential role in recent controve rsies over management of these resources. A thorough assessment of pub lic sentiment has, however, been lacking. We describe the results of a survey conducted to assess Canadian public opinion regarding a variet y of commercial fisheries and marine mammal issues. Over one thousand, randomly selected adult Canadians were surveyed concerning their atti tudes, knowledge, and concerns toward the conservation and management of marine mammals in the northwest Atlantic. The sample included 875 m embers of the general public, 130 sealers and 81 commercial fishermen. Most Canadians (93-95%) in all sampling groups and in all provinces, except Quebec (54%), expressed concern about conflicts between marine mammals and commercial fisheries. Knowledge of basic marine mammal bio logy, however, was strikingly deficient and variable among groups: sea lers obtained the highest knowledge rating, fishers were intermediate, and the general public scored lowest. The views of the Canadian gener al public, sealers, and commercial fishers were highly divergent regar ding prioritization of goals for Canada's commercial fishing industry. Sealers and fishers emphasized employment, cultural and economic cons iderations, while the general public placed greater emphasis on ecolog ical and ethical matters. All groups agreed that the most significant threats to Canada's commercial fisheries included fishing by foreign c ountries, pollution, and over-fishing. Competition from marine mammals and damage to fishing equipment by marine mammals were rated as the l east important threats. Fishing by foreign vessels in Canadian waters was regarded by all groups with particular suspicion. Unlike sealers a nd fishers, the general public consistently disputed the notion of sac rificing the needs of marine mammals for the benefit of commercial fis hing. The public also expressed a strong preference for including fish ing impacts on marine mammals in setting allowable catch quotas for co mmercial fish stocks, and further indicated a willingness to favor the interests of marine mammals over commercial fisheries in marine mamma l entanglement situations. More than ninety percent of all respondents indicated strong support for the 'existence value' of seals. Most Can adians opposed sealing for fur, whereas most approved of harvesting ab undant adult seal populations for meat, harvests associated with the c ultures of native peoples, and harvests important to local economies. Respondents were divided regarding the harvest of seals that damage fi shing gear. All groups strongly opposed the harvest of newborn seals. Sealers and residents of Newfoundland supported lethal methods of seal population control, while residents of large urban areas and women we re inclined to approve of non-lethal measures. An overwhelming majorit y of Canadians objected to the use of poisons or clubs as a means of p opulation control. Consideration of the results of this study could pr ovide an enhanced basis for fashioning mutually acceptable policy solu tions and mitigating conflicts between commercial fisheries and marine mammal conservation in the northwest Atlantic Ocean.