Managers need to evaluate fishermen's responses to catch controls that are context-specific, in addition to reactions to generalized concepts. The use of opinion polls for public involvement in resource management is an accepted concept recently employed by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. A survey package was mailed in April, 1996 to a randomly selected sample of 9,858. The questionnaire had four sections dealing with demographic information needed to categorize the respondent, information on marine fishing experience and interest views on generic types of fisheries management and definitive scenarios of alternative catch controls for priority inshore species of recreational importance.