Finding Common Ground in the Commons: Intracultural Variation in Users' Conceptions of Coastal Fisheries Issues

Abstract

Population growth in U.S. coastal areas has spawned conflicts due to increasing competition between commercial and leisure uses of coastal resources. Organizations representing different user groups routinely misrepresent the causes and severity of environmental stresses to further their political and economic agendas, often predicting extinctions of fish and shellfish and undermining balanced and reasoned management alternatives. This article illustrates this phenomenon with data on conflicts stemming from perceived problems concerning marine resources involving recreational and commercial fishers, with additional attention to managers' roles in such disputes. Cultural consensus analysis is used to understand variation in cultural conceptions concerning coastal resource problems among the different groups. Finally, the method's application for resolving environmental conflicts is discussed.