Perceptions of plastic pollution in a prominent fishery: Building strategies to inform management

Plastic ingestion in seafood species, and human consumers, are thought to have potential harmful impacts. However, there is limited information from seafood industry stakeholder groups, including processors, traders and fishers, about how they perceive plastic pollution, its impacts and potential management. Using the South Australian Marine Scalefish Fishery as a case study, we uncover levels of awareness, knowledge and concern, as well as impacts and potential solutions of marine plastic pollution from commercial and recreational fishers and fishmongers. Stakeholders highlight key areas of concern and motivations to champion the mitigation of plastic pollution, and promote management pathways with increased stakeholder support, including the implementation of education resources, improvement of waste disposal facilities and exploration of plastic-free fishing equipment. Understanding the perceptions of stakeholder groups will inform policy makers and empower managers to build awareness strategies, shift opinions through communication and reduce plastic pollution.

Automated summary

Through a case study of the South Australian Marine Scalefish Fishery, levels of awareness, knowledge and concern about marine plastic pollution from commercial and recreational fishers and fishmongers are revealed, highlighting key areas of concern, motivations for mitigation and potential management pathways.