This paper uses a case study of fisheries co‐management in Hawaii to explore barriers to community participation in resource management and the reasons for these impediments. Our study suggests that while fishers may disobey regulations to maximise personal gain, they may also understand the necessity for regulations and desire more stringent enforcement. This seeming paradox reflects the tension between a recognised need to conserve resources through restricting harvests and competitive pressure among individual fishers. When fishers observe insufficient enforcement on the part of government agencies, this may fuel an already present sense of disrespect for and distrust of the government, inhibiting community participation in co‐management efforts. This study suggests that rather than attempting to directly encourage community members to participate in co‐management efforts, managers should instead focus on enhancing enforcement to alleviate communities' frustration and disrespect. Thus, enhanced enforcement efforts may boost participation in management activities and lead to a more sustainably managed resource.