The Big Catch: Negotiating the Transition from Commercial Fisher to Tourism Entrepreneur in Island Environments

Abstract

Peripheral island communities face challenges emanating from changes to their traditional fishing industries. Stewart Island and Chatham Island in New Zealand provide examples of such communities, their economies and communities supported by the extractive industries of crayfishing and codfishing for many years. However, increasingly depleted fish stocks and changes to the regulatory regimes for fishing have transformed the industry, bringing a dramatic decline in the number of small fishing operators and accompanying socio-economic changes. This paper reports on the transition from a fishing economy to a tourism economy, with a focus on the lived experiences of commercial fishers turned tourism entrepreneurs. Commentators point to the importance of entrepreneurs in destination development; however, a number of barriers may impede the establishment and growth of tourism enterprises in remote islands. This paper explores personal and environmental factors relevant to those undertaking the transition from commercial fishing to tourism in peripheral island destinations, reporting the findings of qualitative research undertaken with tourism entrepreneurs on islands in New Zealand.