Representing the individual fishermen: an attitudinal perspective on one POʹs membership

As fisheries management has evolved, individual fishermen increasingly have sought some form of collective representation. Producer Organisations (POs) within the EU increasingly embrace this function, and have established a central position in resource management decisions. This paper analyses membersʹ perceptions of one such PO, Shetland Fish Producersʹ Organisation. Multiple correspondence analysis reveals generally favourable membership perceptions of the POʹs operation and functions. With EU fisheries policy striving to identify a compromise to an evermore heterogeneous sector, an organisational structure with proven endogenous acceptance could have important implications for the future direction of fisheries management and its implementation.