Research Report
Stephen Sutton
Fishing and Fisheries Research Centre, James Cook
University
ISBN 9781921359064
Published May 2008
MTSRF Project 4.8.5 -
Incorporating stakeholders and their values, knowledge and
aspirations in the care and development of the Great Barrier Reef
Marine Park
Overview
In recognition of the
need for information about the social impacts of the 2004 Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Zoning Plan, the
CRC Reef
Research Centre (with continuation funding from the MTSRF)
funded the Fishing and Fisheries Research Centre at James Cook
University to examine recreational fishers’ perceptions of
the costs and benefits of the 2004 Zoning Plan. The study was
conducted with the support of and in consultation with the Great
Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and the recreational fishing
community (through Sunfish Queensland and the Capricorn Reef
Monitoring Program [CapReef]). Other elements of the
MTSRF-funded project are currently examining the costs and benefits
of the Zoning Plan to commercial fishers, charter fishers and
tourism operators.
This report details
the methodology and descriptive results for the recreational fisher
study. Results are organised into five subsections: 1)
Demographic and fishing experience characteristics; 2) Attitudes
towards the 2004 Zoning Plan; 3) Effects of the 2004 Zoning Plan on
recreational fishing activity; 4) Beliefs about the 2004 Zoning
Plan and management of the Great Barrier Reef; and 5) Attitudes
towards public consultation programs. A further two sections
then explore whether perceptions about the costs and benefits of
the 2004 Zoning Plan differ between: 1) Fishers with different
levels of personal attachment to recreational fishing; and 2)
Geographic regions along the coast of the Great Barrier Reef.
