Abstract
Recreational fishing brings diverse benefits for anglers, including physical fitness, relaxation, social interaction with friends and family, and raising environmental awareness. However, waste generation by anglers causes environmental and social problems, such as fishing line entanglement with birds and mower machines. Thus, it is important to maintain waterside environments for both natural benefits and recreational fishing through approaches that do not restrict activities while encouraging pro-environmental behavior (PEB) among anglers. This study aims to report details of waste behaviors during recreational fishing and identify the psychological factors that predict anglers’ waste-related PEB at fishing sites. Self-reported data were collected from 300 regular inland water anglers in Japan using an online questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis results suggest that fishing-related waste, such as fishing lines and rigs, as well as packaging trash, are commonly left despite anglers’ attempts not to do so due to their material characteristics (i.e., tiny, light, less visible) and the activity environment (i.e., outdoor with the wind); perceived seriousness, perceived effectiveness, others’ expectations for PEB, and biospheric value would enhance anglers’ PEB at fishing sites. Potential measures are discussed based on these results.
https://ror.org/02956yf07 
