A comparison of conservation perspectives between scientists, managers, and industry in the West Coast groundfish fishery

There are several assumptions regarding the behavior and motivations of par ticipants in fishery management that may hinder the effectiveness of the ma nagement process. In this research, we examine whether the commercial fishi ng industry is a homogeneous group whose decision-making is dominated by sh ort-term economic considerations to the detriment of long-term resource con servation. Mail surveys were sent to scientists, managers, and industry mem bers in the West Coast groundfish fishery to examine attitudes on conservat ion, resource abundance, and biological risk. Results demonstrate that alth ough scientists and industry considered themselves conservation-minded, sci entists were relatively critical of industry's conservation ethic. Scientis ts and industry differed strongly in their perception of resource abundance , but found common ground in their assessments of acceptable levels of biol ogical and economic risks. In general, industry demonstrated considerable d iversity in their responses, contradicting assumptions that industry is a m onolithic group with little regard for resource conservation. Results indic ate a disjuncture between industry's stated concerns and their observed par ticipation in discarding, over-harvesting, or habitat destruction. However, this disjuncture may be the result of misaligned institutional incentives, rather than myopic values and beliefs. This evidence suggests a need to re design institutions and property rights in order to align the interests of industry, scientists, and managers in conducting effective science and sust ainably managing the West Coast groundfish fishery.