Abstract
Reduced fishing opportunities globally and in the UK have resulted in the income of many fishermen becoming insufficient. The growing area of marine tourism is widely considered as a possible diversification strategy. However, previous work has largely focused on these issues from a quantitative perspective, and scant attention has been paid to understand the experiences of those affected by such changes. This PhD thesis addresses this gap by exploring the ways in which people working in fishing and marine tourism in Cornwall understand, experience, and attach meaning to their work through the theoretical lens of identity and dignity. From a social constructionist perspective and supported by principles of a phenomenological enquiry, empirically, this paper draws on interviews with 15 commercial fishermen, 7 fishermen who transitioned into tourism work, as well as 23 informants including descendants and relatives of fishermen and community members, artists and local filmmakers, as well as representatives of fishing and tourism and heritage organisations. Throughout the corpus of data, perceptions of self and identity were nuanced, complex, and sometimes even contradictory. Findings show the ways in which psychological, physical, relational, and wider socio-economic and policy dimensions play a role in how people experience and attach meaning to their work. Findings indicate that while fishermen largely perceive their work as meaningful, for some participants fishing is no longer ‘a way of life’. This study highlights challenges for dignified work in fishing due to increased commercial pressure and policy constraints. With respect to diversified fishermen, the empirical evidence suggests that participants remained deeply rooted in their fishing identities, while trying to navigate, justify and make sense of their new role. This study shows that livelihood transitions can create opportunities for restoring economic dignity, and to improve physical and mental health. Accordingly, there is a need to consider workplace dignity in discussions on fishing livelihoods, and for closer collaboration between fisheries and tourism workers, managers, funders, and policymakers to effectively guide and facilitate work transitions. Finally, this thesis offers an alternative understanding of identity and dignity in marine tourism contexts and highlights the relevance of dignity as a concept for theorising tourism diversification.