Helping or hindering? The role of the public right to fish in the management of coastal fisheries

Abstract

Managing coastal fisheries requires transitioning to sustainable exploitation of the marine environment. Set against this background, the public right to fish is often ignored or simply presented as a right to overfish or a hangover from more plentiful times, thus incompatible with sustainable fishing. However, the role of the public right to fish is not well understood, despite its extensive application in coastal waters around several common law countries. Through a case study focusing on coastal fishing within the Devon and Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority district, the experiences and views of people involved in fishing were examined in order to build a picture of the role of the public right in the management of English coastal fisheries. Analysis reveals a right that is valued by society and that is viewed by many participants to be the foundation of management of the public fishery by Devon and Severn IFCA. Participants clearly recognized a wide public interest in the fishery and a need to understand the right as bringing with it attendant responsibilities on behalf of both fishers and the wider public. Embracing the public right to fish and the interest of the wider public in fishing is suggested as a route to more sustainable coastal fisheries. By focusing on this public interest, it is possible to address the challenge identified within the case study of a lack of agreement as to who fisheries management is for and how fisheries should be managed to achieve environmental and socioeconomic sustainability.