Factors Influencing Consumer Involvement in Community Supported Fishery Programs

The adverse impact of overfishing in the fish stocks has generated an increased interest among consumers and producers alike for alternative seafood production and marketing practices. One innovate marketing outlet that is growing in popularity over the last years are Community Supported Fisheries (CSFs). CSFs are an arrangement between fishermen and consumers, where consumers pay a fee for a weekly share of seafood. A major challenge for further CSF development is attracting more participants. However, research on this topic is limited. This study extends the literature by investigating the impact of demographic and lifestyle characteristics on the probability that a consumer will join a CSF. The dataset was obtained from an online survey distributed to South Carolina residents the intention to join a CSF was measured by answers to the question: “Would you be interested in joining a CSF?” Respondents were provided with three choices: No, Not sure, Yes. A multinomial logit model was utilized to analyze the data. Results indicate that consumers who are most likely willing to join a CSF frequent farmer’s markets and specialty stores when purchasing seafood. Most demographic characteristics did not have a significant impact on whether or not a person is willing to join. On the other hand, consumers who purchase local food because they believe local food are of higher quality are more likely to join a CSF.