Understanding Recreational Fishers&amp;#8217; Compliance with No-take Zones in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park

Arias, Adrian; Sutton, Stephen G.

doi:10.5751/es-05872-180418

Cited by 71 publications

(58 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Overall, compliance is considered to be moderate in the GBRMP. In an anonymous survey of recreational fishers, 90% reportedly comply with no-take zones (Arias and Sutton 2013). However, there is evidence that no-entry zones have a higher fish biomass than notake zones, which have a higher biomass than fished zones (McCook et al 2010), suggesting that compliance by commercial and recreational fishers is not complete.…”

Section: Actor Characteristics: Heterogeneitymentioning

confidence: 98%

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Keeping the ‘Great’ in the Great Barrier Reef: large-scale governance of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park

Evans¹,

Ban²,

Schoon³

et al. 2014

Int J Commons

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Abstract:As part of an international collaboration to compare large-scale commons, we used the Social-Ecological Systems Meta-Analysis Database (SESMAD) to systematically map out attributes of and changes in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) in Australia. We focus on eight design principles from common-pool resource (CPR) theory and other key social-ecological systems governance variables, and explore to what extent they help explain the social and ecological outcomes of park management through time. Our analysis showed that commercial fisheries management and the re-zoning of the GBRMP in 2004 led to improvements in ecological condition of the reef, particularly fisheries. These boundary and rights changes were supported by effective monitoring, sanctioning and conflict resolution. Moderate biophysical connectivity was also important Keeping the 'Great' in the Great Barrier Reef 397 for improved outcomes. However, our analysis also highlighted that continued challenges to improved ecological health in terms of coral cover and biodiversity can be explained by fuzzy boundaries between land and sea, and the significance of external drivers to even large-scale social-ecological systems (SES). While ecological and institutional fit in the marine SES was high, this was not the case when considering the coastal SES. Nested governance arrangements become even more important at this larger scale. To our knowledge, our paper provides the first analysis linking the re-zoning of the GBRMP to CPR and SES theory. We discuss important challenges to coding large-scale systems for meta-analysis.Keywords: Coral reefs, fisheries, Great Barrier Reef, large-scale, marine, socialecological system Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank the SESMAD team for their support and collaboration, in particular Michael Cox. LE and NB acknowledge funding support from the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies. NB also thanks NSERC and SSHRC for financial support. Finally, we are grateful to those who reviewed our paper, including three anonymous reviewers. The arguments developed here are the sole responsibility of the authors.

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Section: Actor Characteristics: Heterogeneitymentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Sanctions are adjudicated by local Magistrate Courts. For recreational fishers, a recent study found that fishers' perceptions about sanctions motivated fishers to comply with no-take zones (Arias and Sutton 2013).…”

Section: Sanctioningmentioning

confidence: 99%

Keeping the ‘Great’ in the Great Barrier Reef: large-scale governance of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park

Evans¹,

Ban²,

Schoon³

et al. 2014

Int J Commons

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“…We used a composite measure of perceived compliance based on the number of illegal fishers and the frequency of illegal fishing. Including frequency is key because it provides a measure of illegal fishing effort (Arias 2015, Arias andSutton 2013). For instance, the impact that five fishers have on an MPA would be very different if they fished every day versus only once a month.…”

Section: Compliance Levelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although these studies provide useful information that could be applied to MPAs, their transferability is limited because of the different contexts. Further, although some studies have focused on measuring or understanding fishers' compliance in MPAs (Wood 2004, Peterson and Stead 2011, Read et al 2011, Arias and Sutton 2013, Arias et al 2014, the current literature and evidence base on compliance levels and, importantly, the factors that influence fishers' compliance with MPAs remain limited (Peterson andStead 2011, Bergseth et al 2013). The theoretical concepts underpinning compliance have been recently reviewed in the broader context of nature conservation (Arias 2015), but compliance with MPAs is linked to complex social and institutional interactions (e.g., rules, socio-demographics, and enforcement) that are context dependent.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Levels and drivers of fishers’ compliance with marine protected areas

Arias¹,

Cinner²,

Jones³

et al. 2015

E&S

Self Cite

102

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ABSTRACT. Effective conservation depends largely on people's compliance with regulations. We investigate compliance through the lens of fishers' compliance with marine protected areas (MPAs). MPAs are widely used tools for marine conservation and fisheries management. Studies show that compliance alone is a strong predictor of fish biomass within MPAs. Hence, fishers' compliance is critical for MPA effectiveness. However, there are few empirical studies showing what factors influence fishers' compliance with MPAs. Without such information, conservation planners and managers have limited opportunities to provide effective interventions. By studying 12 MPAs in a developing country (Costa Rica), we demonstrate the role that different variables have on fishers' compliance with MPAs. Particularly, we found that compliance levels perceived by resource users were higher in MPAs (1) with multiple livelihoods, (2) where government efforts against illegal fishing were effective, (3) where fishing was allowed but regulated, (4) where people were more involved in decisions, and (5) that were smaller. We also provide a novel and practical measure of compliance: a compound variable formed by the number illegal fishers and their illegal fishing effort. Our study underlines the centrality of people's behavior in nature conservation and the importance of grounding decision making on the social and institutional realities of each location.

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“…Empirical research on compliance in green zones within the Great Barrier Reef in Australia found that the fear of being fined is ranked as the highest compliance driver for not fishing within marine reserves [8], however the perception of higher catches in reserves and a low probability of detection are ranked as the primary motivations of non-compliant behaviour within these reserves [18]. In a New Zealand recreational fishery, instrumental factors, such as probability of detection and probability of conviction, were found not to be significant drivers of compliance behaviour [141], and generally compliance management solely based on economic incentives targeting deterrence has been questioned [12].…”

Section: Current Management and Compliance Issues: An Australian Persmentioning

confidence: 99%

When push comes to shove in recreational ﬁshing compliance, think ‘nudge’

Mackay¹,

Putten²,

Sibly³

et al. 2018

Preprint

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Enforcing compliance with rules and regulations in recreational fisheries has proved difficult due to factors such as the high number of participants and costs of enforcement, the absence of regular monitoring of recreational fishing activity, and the inherent difficulties in accurately determining catch levels. The effectiveness of traditional punitive deterrence is limited, yet current management is heavily reliant on this compliance approach. In this paper, the potential of behavioural based management is considered through a narrative review of the relevant literature; specifically, exploring the use of nudges, which aim through subtle changes and indirect suggestion to make certain decisions more salient, thereby improving voluntary compliance. This concept is explored with specific reference to the compliance of fishers within Australian recreational fisheries. There are only a few examples of behavioural based approaches found. However, based on their theoretical foundations, nudges may represent an inexpensive, and potentially highly effective tool for recreational fisheries management. Nudges do not offer a 'quick fix' to cases where traditional policy instruments have failed. Rather, there is the potential for behavioural nudges (based on framing, changing the physical environment, presenting default options, and social norms) to augment and complement existing deterrence regimes. A number of potential nudges for compliance management in recreational fisheries are suggested, but caution is advised. As with any novel management approach, nudges must be rigorously tested to demonstrate their cost-effectiveness and to avoid unintended consequences.

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Understanding Recreational Fishers’ Compliance with No-take Zones in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park

Cited by 71 publications

References 37 publications

Keeping the ‘Great’ in the Great Barrier Reef: large-scale governance of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park

Keeping the ‘Great’ in the Great Barrier Reef: large-scale governance of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park

Levels and drivers of fishers’ compliance with marine protected areas

When push comes to shove in recreational ﬁshing compliance, think ‘nudge’

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Understanding Recreational Fishers&#8217; Compliance with No-take Zones in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park

Cited by 71 publications

References 37 publications

Keeping the ‘Great’ in the Great Barrier Reef: large-scale governance of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park

Keeping the ‘Great’ in the Great Barrier Reef: large-scale governance of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park

Levels and drivers of fishers&#8217; compliance with marine protected areas

When push comes to shove in recreational ﬁshing compliance, think ‘nudge’

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Understanding Recreational Fishers’ Compliance with No-take Zones in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park

Levels and drivers of fishers’ compliance with marine protected areas