Trust between actors in wildlife management : in the context of the Swedish seal management and small-scale fishery controversy

Abstract: There is an increasing demand for participatory and collaborative natural resource management today. Such collaborative approaches require an understanding of how to create trustful relationships between the actors involved. This study takes a phenomenological approach to studying trust in the Swedish seal management and smallscale fishery controversy, in order to understand how the actors in this case of wildlife management experience trust, and to identify important components of trust. The findings show that we base our trust on our perception of how the other is (personal background, values, and competence) as well as how the other acts (meeting commitments, acting consistently and sticking to one’s role). Meeting in person is also shown to positively affect our willingness to trust. Our perception of whether or not the other trusts us may also influence that willingness. Practical as well as theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.