IIFET Home Page
IIFET 2000 Home Page


Important Factors Influencing Rule Compliance in Danish Fisheries

By Jesper Raakjaer Nielsen and Christoph Mathiesen

ABSTRACT

In this paper we will present the results of a research project, which has studied Danish fishermen's compliance of imposed fisheries regulations and their acceptance of the management system. The analytical framework for the study was presented at the IIFET Conference in Tromsoe. The study focused on 3 Danish fisheries: the cod fishery in the Baltic Sea, the demersal and nephrops fishery in Kattegat and the fishery for non-human consumption species in the North Sea. A mail survey covering all vessels in the 3 specific fisheries has been conducted to screen factors that influence rule compliance in Danish fisheries. To follow-up on the mail survey and to obtain a more in-depth understanding of the importance of the different factors influencing rule compliance 56 fishermen were interviewed. The mail survey and in particular the interviews have given a thoroughly and qualitative understanding of the legitimacy of fisheries management in Denmark among the fishermen.

The research has focused on 6 factors, which were considered relevant for rule compliance:
  1. industry structure;
  2. control and enforcement;
  3. content of the regulations;
  4. the decision-making procedures;
  5. norms within the fishing industry and
  6. moral of fishermen.


The paper concluded, that the most important factors influencing rule compliance/non-compliance are: the profit to be obtained in the fishery under present regulation; the cohesion between the regulation and the practical fishery; deterrence and the size of the sanctions; the experience that regulation will lead towards conservation of the fish stocks and finally the norms and moral of the fishermen. In addition there is indication, that co-management is important for rule compliance.

KEYWORDS: Compliance, legitimacy, Danish fisheries


 View Compliance and Enforcment Session

 View Full Paper (PDF file)

  Instructions for authors
  Conference Program
  Contact us
  IIFET 2000 Web Menu


return to top