Sustainable Fishing Consumption

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The problems the world oceans are facing nowadays are as big and deep as the sea itself,

ranging from acidification, and destruction of coral reefs to overfishing and the consequences

of the fishing practices. Fish as such has historically been a main food, and still constitutes

a steady supply of protein for many civilizations worldwide. Due to an exploding earth

population, this has led to a skyrocketed demand and in its result to overfishing (Fitzgerald,

2013). The question arising here is how to anticipate the overfishing by reducing demand,

hence aiming at consumers’ behaviour to minimize fish consumption, restrict it to sustainably

sourced fish or to stop it at all (hereafter this aim will be referred to as ‘sustainable fish

consumption’ for simplicity).

Despite the pervasive knowledge spread through the media reporting on the fish problem,

many consumers find themselves in the situation of behaving in conflict with their beliefs.

Described by the cognitive dissonance theory by Festinger (Solomon, 2006:140-143), the

cognitive elements ‘I know fish consumption is not sustainable’ and ‘I eat fish’ are dissonant,

thus behaviour and attitude stand in conflict and are inconsistent with one another. This

inconsistency is thought to create a feeling of discomfort motivating to change either the

attitude or the behaviour. Dissonance reduction can occur through modifying elements, by

either eliminating (e.g. behaviour: stop consuming fish), by changing (e.g. belief: taking the

fact for overfishing as not proven) or by adding a consonant belief (human have eaten fish

for centuries) that outweigh dissonant elements. Given the dissonance is strong enough; a

permanent change of attitudes or behaviour...

... middle of paper ...

...nd Bhamra, T. 2005. Towards instinctive sustainable product use.

Soames Job, R. 1988. Effective and ineffective use of fear in health promotion

campaigns. American Journal of Public Health, 78 (2), pp. 163--167.

Solomon, M. R. 2006. Consumer behaviour. Harlow, England: Financial Times/Prentice Hall.

Tucker, M. 2014. Pictures Of The Day: 28th May 2013. [online] Available at: http://

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/05/27/pictures-of-the-day-28th-may-2013_n_3342585.html

[Accessed: 27 Feb 2014].

Wabbaly. 2011. Campaigns that build environmental awareness. [online] Available at: http:/

/www.wabbaly.com/campaigns-that-build-environmental-awareness/ [Accessed: 27 Feb

2014].

Wpp. 2014. [online] Available at: http://www.wpp.com/corporateresponsibilityreports/2008/

images/content/pro_bono/Campaign---Save-the-Mediterranean-bluefin-tuna.jpg [Accessed:

27 Feb 2014].

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