Resources and estuarine health: Perceptions of elected officials and recreational fishers

Journal Article · Fri Oct 29 04:00:00 EDT 1999 · Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health

OSTI ID:20080421

Burger, J; Sanchez, J; McMahon, M; Leonard, J; Lord, C G; Ramos, R; Gochfeld, M

It is important to understand the perceptions of user groups regarding both the health of their estuaries and environmental problems requiring management. Recreational fishers were interviewed to determine the perceptions of one of the traditional user groups of Barnegat Bay (New Jersey), and elected officials were interviewed to determine if the people charged with making decisions about environmental issues in the bay held similar perceptions. Although relative ratings were similar, there were significant differences in perceptions of the severity of environmental problems, and for the most part, public officials thought the problems were more severe than did the fishers. Personal watercraft (often called Jet Skis) were rated as the most severe problem, followed by chemical pollution, junk, over fishing, street runoff, and boat oil. Small boats, sailboats, wind surfers, and foraging birds were not considered environmental problems by either elected officials or fishermen. The disconnect between the perceptions of the recreational fishers and those of the locally elected public officials suggests that officials may be hearing from some of the more vocal people about problems, rather than from the typical fishers. Both groups felt there were decreases in some of the resources in the bay; over 50% felt the number of fish and crabs had declined, the size of fish and crabs had declined, and the number of turtles had declined. Among recreational fishers, there were almost no differences in perceptions of the severity of environmental problems or in changes in the bay. The problems that were rated the most severe were personal watercraft and over fishing by commercial fishers. Recreational fishers ranked sailboats, wind surfers, and fishing by birds as posing no problem for the bay. Most fishers felt there had been recent major changes in Barnegat Bay, with there now being fewer and smaller fish, fewer and smaller crabs, and fewer turtles. The results suggest that the views of a wide range of coastal users should be considered when making environmental health decisions.

• Research Organization: Rutgers Univ., Piscataway, NJ (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy; National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
• DOE Contract Number: FC01-95EW55084
• OSTI ID: 20080421
• Journal Information: Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Journal Name: Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 58; ISSN 0098-4108; ISSN JTEHD6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
BAYS
DECISION MAKING
NEW JERSEY
PUBLIC OPINION
RECREATIONAL AREAS
WATER QUALITY