Fishermen's and managers' perceptions of fishery issues are an important factor to consider when studying conflicts between the two groups. According to theories of conflict management, differences in perceptions may cause situations to be characterized by misunderstanding and mistrust, and may add to the difficulties in managing the conflict. A questionnaire was developed to determine whether there were differences in perceptions between fishermen and managers. Both groups responded to the same questions. Questions were included to determine each individual's involvement in the decision making process and to test the hypothesis that fishermen and managers who are involved in the decision-making process have perceptions that are less polarized. A total of 47 commercial salmon fishermen, who fish primarily out of Oregon ports were interviewed. A total of 36 managers, who were either members of the Pacific Fishery Management Council, Salmon Technical Team, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, or non-agency managers, responded to the questionnaire. Most fishermen were interviewed in person and most managers were interviewed over the telephone. Chi-square analyses were used to measure the differences in the responses of fishermen and managers, as well as the responses of decision-makers and non-decision-makers. The results support the hypothesis that fishermen and managers have different perceptions on certain issues. However, the hypothesis that decision-makers have more similar perceptions than non-decision makers was not strongly supported. / Graduation date: 1994