A Study on Recreational Anglers’ Participation Process of Environmentally Responsible Behaviors Using Recreation Specialization and Consumptive Orientation Behaviors
For the sustainable use of fishery resources as common resources and the mitigation of conflicts with commercial fishermen, it is essential to understand recreational anglers’ participation process of environmentally responsible behaviors (ERB). This study intends to show that the effects of recreation specialization on environmentally responsible behaviors can be weakened due to the characteristics of anglers, who prefer to possess caught fish. Two different research models were tested with two data sets independently collected. The data were analyzed with structural equation modeling. The results show that consumptive orientation, which measures a degree of catching and owning fish, and fishing-specific ERBs negatively affect the relationships between recreation specialization and general ERBs as mediation variables. Implications are further discussed that regulation policies and education programs are needed to change anglers’ consumptive orientation and catch-related fishing behaviors.