A long-standing puzzle in the environmentalist space is why anglers often side with large commericial fishing companies, against conservation measures to guard against collapse of fish populations. Participant observation revealed that anglers see their pastime as a highly moral and even spiritual practice, a contrast to the wastefulness, destructiveness and superficiality of much of modern life. As a result of this mindset, they are easily put off by messaging that casts fishing itself as destructive or morally questionable.
