Tasmanian marine protected areas: Attitudes and perceptions of wild capture fishers

In 1999 the Marine and Marine Industries Council was established by the Tasmanian (Australia) State Government and in 2001 a Tasmanian Marine Protected Area Strategy was launched. The aims of this paper are to: investigate the views, perceptions and attitudes of commercial fishers towards this Strategy and to identify the key issues that influence fisher support or opposition to marine protected areas (MPAs). Fifty-one structured interviews with license supervisors of commercial abalone, rock lobster and scalefish fishers were conducted. Fishers stated that they would conditionally support MPAs if they sustained or increased fish populations, supported research, allowed fishing in multiple use areas, and if multiple use areas contained small ‘no-take’ zones. Fishers were concerned about the ability of the government to provide adequate marine protected area monitoring and compliance and were critical of the public consultation process that accompanied the development of the Strategy. Concern was expressed regarding the potential negative impact of additional MPAs in terms of resource sustainability and the long-term economic viability of the fishery.