Participatory approaches to improving recreational fisheries management in a remote island system

Despite the growing social importance of marine recreational fisheries, effective management in remote island systems is often hampered by limited management resources and a lack of understanding and tools to foster successful fisher engagement and voluntary compliance. We conducted semi‐structured interviews (n = 61), scenario‐planning workshops (n = 10) and surveys (n = 168) to explore how participatory approaches could be used to evaluate the impact and feasibility of different recreational fisheries management approaches on a remote island, Diego Garcia, in the Indian Ocean. Adopting a Management Strategy Evaluation framework, we identified key system uncertainties inhibiting effective management. We found high engagement with fisheries due to their importance for recreation, as an inexpensive protein source and maintaining socio‐cultural traditions. Rule awareness was highly variable, driven partly by poor engagement between fishers and management authorities. Non‐compliance with existing rules was driven by multiple factors, including the complexity of rules and social norms. Adopting scenario‐based approaches helped identify management recommendations, including rule simplification, increased training, and improvements in recording fishing effort. However, addressing key system uncertainties, including those related to the translation of science and policy into practice, is vital for future management. Findings highlight the need for improved management of recreational fisheries in remote island systems to ensure socio‐ecological sustainability.