The relationship between level of participation and selected aspects of specialization in recreational fishing

Abstract

This study examined the relationships between behavioral, social, and attitudinal components of recreational fishing within a conceptual framework based on recreational specialization. Specialization was viewed as a multidimensional conceptual continuum along which participants within a given recreation activity can be arranged according to their experience with and commitment to the activity. The approach contends that differences in the attitudes and behaviors of recreationists can be accounted for in terms of varying degrees of specialization. This study investigated the extent to which such differences can be understood when level of participation is used as a surrogate measure for the more nebulous concept of specialization. Three general propositions were formulated for testing the relationships between level of fishing participation and: (1) behavioral aspects of specialization such as involvement with equipment, skill, and the environmental settings of fishing; (2) patterns of social interaction revolving around fishing; and (3) attitudinal orientations towards the fishing experience. Results indicated that level of fishing participation was a useful surrogate measure for fishing specialization. Those fishermen who fished most were also characterized by greater involvement with equipment, higher levels of skill, and participation in a wider variety of fishing settings. Concerning the proposition on social interaction, two general patterns were observed. First, social participation and on-site activity participation were directly related; those who fished more often also participated to a greater extent in a variety of social interaction channels related to fishing. Secondly, reference groups played an increasingly important role among those who participate most often. As amount of on-site and social participation increased, reference groups emerged as a major additional type of social group which influenced fishing behavior...