PERCEPTIONS OF VESSEL SAFETY REGULATIONS - A SOUTHERN NEW-ENGLAND FISHERY

This study analyses an oceanic fishery in southern New England as a subculture whose features are adaptive to the total environment in which it operates. It is possible to explain how fishers' perceptions of safety regulations stem largely from pervasive cultural themes. It is suggested that voluntary compliance with safety regulations can be enhanced if policy makers utilize knowledge of the subculture and involve fishers in the policy-making process.