Working Toward a Better Understanding of Angler Behavior Thru Human Dimensions Research

Anglers participate in recreational fishing because it is “fun”.  But how does one define fun?  Research into recreational experiences preferences specifies numerous constructs that define what it means to have fun in outdoor recreational pursuits.  Nevertheless, most of these constructs were developed with the traditional clientele of the time, mainly Caucasian anglers from European origins.  As the fisheries profession embarks on attracting non-traditional clientele from a changing demographic base, researchers have the opportunity to revisit some the original research to explore cultural differences in motivations and satisfaction.  Many of the measurement instruments used today are a shell of the original measurement scales, and reverting back to the original scales will provide researchers and agencies with a better understanding of stakeholder groups, and provide a more thorough understanding of how agencies can use this information to create new opportunities or attract specific clientele to resources. By doing so, researchers can also better address the importance of catch v. non-catch related motivations.  If future studies are not grounded in the social/psychological theories used to develop the original measurement scales the ability to learn anything from them is greatly diminished.