Identifying, defining and exploring angling as urban subsistence: Pier fishing in Santa Barbara, California

Abstract

Subsistence fishing is almost exclusively recognized within rural, indigenous and Native fishing traditions; yet research indicates many underprivileged, non-indigenous urban communities also derive social, nutritional, and cultural benefits from coastal resources. In California, pier fishers are an often overlooked and potentially vulnerable community of practitioners who may include subsistence fishers. Pier fishers' informal, unlicensed status means their rates of catch and consumption of fish are scarcely documented, and scant research probes the demographics, motivations, and practices of the pier fishing community. Using survey data collected at active fishing piers in Santa Barbara County, we examine the perceptions, practices, and characteristics of pier fishers. We present common attributes used to define subsistence fishing in the literature and discuss their application in a “recreational” urban context. Although the specific qualities will vary across contexts, we suggest three suitable and interdependent factors for recognizing urban subsistence fishing: 1) reported consumption frequency, 2) fishers' socioeconomic status, and 3) the social, cultural and psychological “process benefits” identified by fishers. Our findings indicate that pier fishing is a form of subsistence, particularly benefiting low-income, Latino and Asian/Pacific Islander fishers in Santa Barbara County. These results challenge commonly used criteria and assumptions about subsistence practices, and demonstrate the flexibility of fishers to meet multiple individual and collective needs. We propose that marine regulations and policies recognize subsistence fishing as a dimension of coastal resource use in California, and consider its potential contributions to urban food security and community well-being.