An old fable tells of the five developmental stages an angler: 1, a young person with a budding interest in fishing just wants to catch a fish; 2, after having experienced catching fish, the angler seeks to catch many fish in an outing to achieve success; 3, having learned to catch many fish, the angler’s pride comes from catching large or trophy fish; 4, the highly experienced angler then seeks to catch specific fish in specific ways, reflecting a unique challenge influenced by the angler’s specialized preferences; and, finally, 5, the seasoned angler’s thrill in fishing is no longer related to catching fish, but rather a connection to nature, the time, and people involved in the experience, leading the seasoned angler to turn to mentoring and ensuring that the enjoyment of the outdoors is passed to future generations.
In a recently published paper in Global Ecology and Conservation led by Jeremy Raynal, we consider this process of recreational specialization as a potential source of pro-environmental behaviour. We review literature on drivers of pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours to identify links between outdoor recreation and conservation, and present a novel theory to explore the possibility of strategically harnessing outdoor recreation enthusiasm to inspire conservation of the natural resources that underpin enjoyment of the outdoors (see figure). We highlight examples where recreational fishing specialization has led, and can further lead, to conservation achievements in coastal marine ecosystems, particularly if conservation organizations can nurture transitions from the eager new recreationist to the seasoned specialist and, importantly, to the environmental steward.
Fig. 1 from the paper: A conceptual framework for how outdoor recreation can lead to environmental conservation. Habitat-dependent outdoor recreation organizations (HDORCOs) can help to nurture characteristics that potentially engage recreationists in a pathway towards conservation and stewardship. Numbered white rectangles (1-7) represent the steps that cumulatively increase the likelihood of pro-environmental behavior. Yellow rectangles (a-f) represent opportunities for HDORCOs to nurture progression towards an ethical obligation to care for the environment and bridge the potential disconnect (red octagon) between ethical obligation and stewardship behavior (8). Some key additional influences on steps are identified in grey rectangles on the left (*, **). All arrows represent potential direct linkages between factors.
