Why comply? Attitudes towards harvest regulations among Swedish fishers

► Reasons for compliance and non-compliance among Swedish fishermen are examined. ► Law-abidingness and peer group solidarity rank highest among the reasons for compliance. ► Accepted reasons for non-compliance are “illegitimate rules” and economic hardship. ► Large scale fishers are more concerned than small and medium scale fishers about deterrence. ► Experience of co-management makes fishers less inclined to accept noncompliance.