Minnesota Anglers' Fisheries-Related Value Orientations and Their Stewardship of Fish Resources

Abstract

Research on natural resource–related values and value orientations has grown substantially over the past decade. However, existing studies have focused almost exclusively on value orientations related to wildlife and forests. This article reports data from two mail surveys of Minnesota anglers used to develop scales for measuring fisheries-related value orientations. We report results of regression analyses examining the relationship between anglers' value orientations and norms concerning fisheries stewardship and the use of technological aids to angling. Results indicate 10 items reliably measure three value orientations we termed utilitarianism, dominance, and protectionism. Regression analyses suggest anglers' stewardship norms are influenced by all three value orientation types, while support for the use of technological aids was related with protectionism and utilitarianism, but not dominance. Results suggest anglers' fisheries-related value orientations cannot be adequately captured using single domain scales. Implications for the study of natural resources–related value orientations are discussed.

Keywords:

• angling
• value orientations
• cognitive hierarchy
• norms
• fisheries stewardship

Notes

1. Using the word “should” places the emphasis in this definition on the ethical and evaluative nature of these beliefs. In this respect, value orientations are similar to normative beliefs, or norms, which can be defined as evaluative standards for how one should behave in a given situation (Vaske & Whittaker, 2004). However, whereas norms are viewed as situation-specific guides that may be influenced by the behavior of others or even the surrounding environment (Cialdini, Reno, & Kallgren, 1990; Reno, Cialdini, & Kallgren, 1993), value orientations are comprised of much broader beliefs that transcend situation and are not easily influenced by other factors.

2. Due to the two-step procedure (Noar, 2003; Schumacker & Lomax, 2004) used to determine the number of domains underlying anglers basic beliefs we could not formalize directional hypotheses. Rather, we hypothesized that there would be a relationship between anglers' value orientations and the normative constructs of interest.