The myth of voluntary uptake of proven fishing gear: investigations into the challenges inspiring change in fisheries

We describe an investigation into the challenges faced by fishing gear technologists inspiring the voluntary uptake of proven fishing gear by fishers, defined as fishing gear that has satisfied research objectives following field trials between fishers and fishing gear technologists. We applied a multifaceted approach to understand how the uptake rate of this fishing gear can be achieved based on the results of a 3-year ICESFAO Working Group on Fishing Technology and Fish Behaviour (WGFTFB) topic group on change management in fisheries. This was supported by an online survey and interview of WGFTFB members, comprising mainly of fishing gear technologists and researchers from Europe and North America, and a review of projects in the US Northwest Atlantic to evaluate the performance of fishing gear in close collaboration with fishers. We found that widespread voluntary uptake of proven fishing gear by fishers is rare, and usually takes place over many years if at all. The uptake of this gear was more likely occur in the face of perceived financial benefit or impending regulation, although financial benefit was not always sufficient inducement for fishers change their gear. The effectiveness of outreach programmes to inspire the uptake of this gear was also found to be questionable, and the efficacy of incentives was limited and inconsistent, even if the informational deficit of fishers was low. Few WGFTFB members were found to use change management models such as that by Kotter, and they relied mainly on informal, ad hoc approaches to inspire the uptake of proven fishing gear. Based on our findings we posit a need to (i) examine our assumptions about the behaviour of fishers, (ii) augment communication of the results of fishing gear research, (iii) focus on emotions to overcome motivational deficits, and (iv) consider how the application of change management models can improve the ability of fishing gear technologists to inspire the uptake of proven fishing gear by fishers.