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Marine protected areas (MPAs) are increasingly being used as tools for fishery management and marine conservation.  This thesis investigates several aspects of the human dimensions of MPAs in Scotland with the purpose to contribute to the understanding of the attitudes of Scottish inshore fishers towards this management measure. Paper I reviews the literature on fishers’ attitudes towards MPAs.  It reveals that most empirical work collects information on fishers’ attitudes towards three general issues of importance to MPAs: governance, conservation of biodiversity and the environment, and the impact of MPAs on fishing activity. Using data from surveys conducted with Scottish fishers, papers II, III, IV and V investigate fishers’ attitudes towards, and perceptions of, several issues of interest to MPAs.  Plus, multivariate data analysis was used in all papers in order to identify which individual characteristics influence fishers’ attitudes towards, or perceptions about, the issues under investigation.  Papers II, IV and V use data collected on a survey conducted with Scottish inshore fishers in 2006/07, while Paper III uses data from a survey conducted previously (in 2001/02). Paper II investigates Scottish inshore fishers’ perceptions about participation in the decision-making process. Results reveal that around half of the fishers perceived themselves to be informed about management, but most did not perceive themselves to be consulted or involved in the decision-making process. Papers III and IV investigate fishers’ attitudes towards labour mobility.  More precisely, the papers investigate fishers’ willingness to leave the fishing sector, change to another gear or move to another area to remain fishing.  Results reveal that fishers’ attitudes towards leaving the fishing sector were different in the two periods.  In 2002 most fishers were willing to leave the fishing sector (Paper III) while five years later most were not (Paper V).  Most importantly, both papers point to the importance of job satisfaction for fishers. Results point to the importance of understanding the economic, social and cultural contexts of the fishing industry for the success of measures and policies aimed at providing fishers with alternative job opportunities in order to counter impacts of displacement caused by the implementation of MPAs and reduction of the overcapacity of the European fishing fleets. Paper V investigates inshore fishers’ attitudes towards MPAs and issues of relevance to MPAs (e.g. compliance with, and enforcement of, rules, and state of resources). More precisely, the paper investigates the attitudes towards closed areas between users of different gears which are affected by closed areas in different ways.  Results reveal that Scottish inshore fishers are not a homogenous collective; the attitudes towards closed areas differ among users of different gears.