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Fisheries Economics and Management

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A topical collection in Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This collection belongs to the section "Environmental Sustainability and Applications".

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Dr. Louisa Coglan

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Guest Editor

School of Economics and Finance, Queensland University of Technology
Interests: Applied policy research; Theoretical and technical applications; Quantitative and qualitative analysis; Baseline performance measurement in fisheries

Topical Collection Information

Dear Colleagues,

Global consumption of fish has doubled since 2014. Demand for fish shows no signs of abating, driven primarily by population growth and a shift in preference for fish protein (which now exceeds that of all terrestrial animals combined). Fisheries (wild-caught and farmed) also provide a key source of income to over 820 million people. However, income security derived from fisheries is potentially under threat, with approximately a third of fish stocks beyond biological sustainability. The growth of aquaculture offers an opportunity to take the pressure off wild-caught fisheries, and its contribution is significant. In 2016, aquaculture accounted for over 50 percent of global fish production. However, the industry incurs the challenges associated with farm-intensive methods (e.g., diseases) and farming practices that can negatively impact upon the environment (e.g., waste and impacts on water quality). We are soliciting papers for this Special Issue around effective fishery management that address the complex issues of food and income security, fishery management, and ecologically sustainable development of the sector. Papers can be reviews, syntheses, viewpoints, meta-analyses, and original research relevant to the environmental, ecological, biological, agricultural, policy, human, development, economic, or technological aspects of sustainability on fisheries anywhere on the globe.

Dr. Louisa Coglan
Guest Editor

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Keywords

fisheries economics
aquaculture economics
environmental economics
fishery management
resource management
marine policy

Published Papers (11 papers)

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2023

Jump to: 2021, 2020

10 pages, 792 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Economic Impact of High Fuel Prices on the EU Fishing Fleet

by Jordi Guillen, Natacha Carvalho, Griffin Carpenter, Antonio Borriello and Angel Calvo Santos

Sustainability 2023, 15(18), 13660; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su151813660 - 13 Sep 2023

Viewed by 899

Abstract

Energy prices increased sharply because of the military invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022, heavily impacting global economies. In 2022, the EU fishing sector paid on average about EUR 0.93 per liter of fuel; at the peak of the crisis in June, it paid EUR 1.2 per liter, around three times the normal average price. High fuel prices jeopardize the viability of the fishing sector, which is largely fuel-intensive and particularly vulnerable to fuel price increases. The European Commission responded with emergency measures, adopting a Temporary Framework for State aid rules and activating the crisis mechanism foreseen under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF). This communication aims to examine the economic impact of the high fuel prices and the financial support available to the EU fishing sector to assess the short-term and long-term sustainability of the EU fishing sector. Full article

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2021

Jump to: 2023, 2020

27 pages, 1479 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustaining Tribal Fisheries: U.S. Economic Relief Policies during COVID-19

by Kelsey Leonard

Sustainability 2021, 13(22), 12366; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su132212366 - 09 Nov 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2445

Abstract

This article reviews the individual spend plans of U.S. states granted a funding allocation under Sec. 12005 of the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to identify consistency with legislative mandates to support Tribal commercial, subsistence, cultural, or ceremonial fisheries negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizing critical discourse analysis, this study identifies state discursive practices in supporting Tribal sovereignty in fisheries management for the advancement of Indigenous Ocean justice. State spending plans (n = 22) publicly available and submitted to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration before July 2021 were reviewed. Few of the state spend plans listed impacts to Tribal fisheries due to the pandemic. Only two state plans included Tribal consultation and direct economic relief for commercial, subsistence, cultural, and/or ceremonial losses faced by neighboring Tribes and Tribal citizens. Overall, the protections within the CARES Act for Tribal fisheries were not integrated into state spend plans. The article identifies best practices for state fisheries relief policy content that is affirming of Tribal fishing rights and uses them to help address the ongoing pandemic crisis facing Tribal fisheries. These findings have relevance for future emergency relief programs that are inclusive of Tribal Nations. Honoring Tribal sovereignty and the federal trust responsibility must be the cornerstone of shared sustainable fisheries. Full article

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13 pages, 2068 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Global Inland Capture and Culture Finfisheries Follow Different Trends When Evaluated by the Human Development Index

by Peter W. Sorensen and Maria Lourdes D. Palomares

Sustainability 2021, 13(15), 8420; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13158420 - 28 Jul 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1937

Abstract

To assess whether and how socioeconomic factors might be influencing global freshwater finfisheries, inland fishery data reported to the FAO between 1950 and 2015 were grouped by capture and culture, country human development index, plotted, and compared. We found that while capture inland finfishes have greatly increased on a global scale, this trend is being driven almost entirely by poorly developed (Tier-3) countries which also identify only 17% of their catch. In contrast, capture finfisheries have recently plateaued in moderately-developed (Tier-2) countries which are also identifying 16% of their catch but are dominated by a single country, China. In contrast, reported capture finfisheries are declining in well-developed (Tier-1) countries which identify nearly all (78%) of their fishes. Simultaneously, aquacultural activity has been increasing rapidly in both Tier-2 and Tier-3 countries, but only slowly in Tier-1 countries; remarkably, nearly all cultured species are being identified by all tier groups. These distinctly different trends suggest that socioeconomic factors influence how countries report and conduct capture finfisheries. Reported rapid increases in capture fisheries are worrisome in poorly developed countries because they cannot be explained and thus these fisheries cannot be managed meaningfully even though they depend on them for food. Our descriptive, proof-of-concept study suggests that socioeconomic factors should be considered in future, more sophisticated efforts to understand global freshwater fisheries which might include catch reconstruction. Full article

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22 pages, 3139 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effectiveness of Public Aid for Inland Aquaculture in Poland—The Relevance of Traditional Performance Ratios

by Magdalena Raftowicz, Bertrand le Gallic, Magdalena Kalisiak-Mędelska, Krzysztof Rutkiewicz and Emilia Konopska-Struś

Sustainability 2021, 13(9), 5155; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13095155 - 05 May 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1738

Abstract

Public financial aid is approached as one of the most important tools allowing, mainly small and medium-sized enterprises, to implement many of their investment intentions, thus improving their competitive position in the market. It is granted to enterprises regardless of whether they are of profit-oriented or a non-profit nature. The main goal of this article is to assess the effectiveness of public aid in the aquaculture sector. Authors reviewed the aid measures allocated to three carp farms located in the Barycz Valley, the biggest center for carp breeding in Europe. These three farms accounted for half of the aid beneficiaries over the period of analysis, and are considered to be representative according to the typical farms approach. They also account for 85% of the total grants allocated to the sector. After identifying differences in investment strategies, the authors investigated whether these differences could be reflected in the financial situation of the selected enterprises. The analysis covered the value of the financial liquidity factors, profitability, the level of debt and the increase in assets during the years 2012–2016. The research suggests that part of the benefits expected from public aid are not fully captured in the traditional performance ratios, especially when ecosystem-enhancing measures are involved. Full article

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34 pages, 1097 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Socio-Economic Perspectives of Transition in Inland Fisheries and Fish Farming in a Least Developed Country

by Vincent-Paul Sanon, Raymond Ouedraogo, Patrice Toé, Hamid El Bilali, Erwin Lautsch, Stefan Vogel and Andreas H. Melcher

Sustainability 2021, 13(5), 2985; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13052985 - 09 Mar 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4115

Abstract

Small-scale inland fisheries are essential for livelihoods and food security in developing countries such as Burkina Faso. However, there is a gap in research on the ongoing transformation of the sector toward sustainability. This article analyzes the transition in inland fisheries and aquaculture in Burkina Faso and its implications in terms of natural resources management, food security, and livelihoods. We used the Multi-Level Perspective (MLP) method as a reference transition framework and sampled using a mixed approach including 63 qualitative interviews, with fisheries experts and stakeholders, as well as quantitative data gathered through a representative survey with 204 fishermen’s households. We examined open access, concession, and co-management fisheries systems. Our results show that technical and institutional changes in fisheries over the last decades deeply shaped and transformed fisheries governance. Technological changes improved the sector’s productivity and its contribution to households’ livelihoods. Fishermen’s households consume up to 25% of fishermen’s catches. The share of the catches consumed is typically higher when commercial fishing is “not important”, but it remains typically low when it is “very important”. The income is higher for fishermen who allocate more time to or gain more income from animals breeding. The establishment of state-based management affects the balance between the coexisting traditional and newer “republican” institutions. Concession and co-management niches can contribute to the empowerment of the stakeholders and establishment of more effective management. However, they are still dominated by the traditional and centralized state regimes and governance. The support of the socio-technical landscape is paramount for the scaling-up of the fish farming niche, which has the potential to improve food security and sustain rural livelihoods in the least developed country, Burkina Faso. Full article

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18 pages, 1800 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Availability of Non-Market Values to Inform Decision-Making in Australian Fisheries and Aquaculture: An Audit and Gap Analysis

by Louisa Coglan, Sean Pascoe and Gabriela Scheufele

Sustainability 2021, 13(2), 920; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13020920 - 18 Jan 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2161

Abstract

Fisheries and aquaculture management can have impacts on economic, social and environmental outcomes. Assessing alternative management options requires an understanding of the different trade-offs between these outcomes. Cost–benefit analysis provides a framework in which these trade-offs can be assessed, but requires all costs and benefits to be enumerated in monetary terms. However, some impacts associated with fisheries and aquaculture, particularly environmental, have no explicit monetary value, so they require non-market values to be derived. In this study, we identify and prioritize, through a stakeholder workshop, non-market values that are of the most relevance to Australian fisheries and aquaculture managers. We assess the potential of existing studies to provide appropriate values for use by managers through a detailed review of available studies. We found a deficiency in the number of recent studies across all priority areas. Non-market valuation of recreational fishing has attracted the most attention previously in Australia, but studies in the last five years were found in only half of the states. Other priority non-market values have been estimated in only one or two states, and most have no estimates within the last five years. The results of the study highlight the need for further research in this area. Full article

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2020

Jump to: 2023, 2021

24 pages, 419 KiB

Open AccessReview

Vulnerability and Decision-Making in Multispecies Fisheries: A Risk Assessment of Bacalao (Mycteroperca olfax) and Related Species in the Galapagos’ Handline Fishery

by José F. Pontón-Cevallos, Stijn Bruneel, José R. Marín Jarrín, Jorge Ramírez-González, Jorge R. Bermúdez-Monsalve and Peter L. M. Goethals

Sustainability 2020, 12(17), 6931; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12176931 - 26 Aug 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3428

Abstract

Marine fish populations can be vulnerable to overfishing, as a response of their life history, ecology, and socio-economic aspects. Vulnerability assessments, in this regard, can be used to support fisheries decision-making by aiding species prioritization. Assessments like Productivity–Susceptibility Analyses are well suited for multispecies fisheries, with low gear selectivity and insufficient fishery-independent and dependent data. Using this method, we assessed local vulnerability of the Galapagos grouper (‘bacalao’; Mycteroperca olfax) and compared it with other phylogenetically-related species caught in the Galapagos’ handline-fishery. Bacalao is an overfished regionally endemic fish species, characterized by low resilience, high market and cultural value and high spatial overlap with the fishery. Our results suggested that bacalao is a species of high management priority, requiring urgent measures to prevent fisheries’ collapse. In addition, if current fishing pressure persists, other related species may become threatened in the near future. We also evaluated different management scenarios using this approach. Results suggested that the inclusion of additional no-take zones in the marine reserve, comprising key nursery habitats (such as mangroves) and spawning aggregation sites, would be necessary to reduce species vulnerability and to benefit other related species. Improving enforcement and fishers’ compliance are essential to guarantee the effectiveness of these measures. Full article

15 pages, 897 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Understanding Barriers in Indian Ocean Tuna Commission Allocation Negotiations on Fishing Opportunities

by Hussain Sinan and Megan Bailey

Sustainability 2020, 12(16), 6665; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12166665 - 18 Aug 2020

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4895

Abstract

Tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) have been given an arduous mandate under the legal framework of the United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement. Member states with different interests and objectives are required to cooperate and collaborate on the conservation and management of tuna and tuna-like species, which includes the allocation of fishing opportunities. It is well understood that the main RFMO allocation disagreements are the inability to agree on a total allowable catch, the lack of willingness to accept new members, disagreement on who should bear the conservation burden, and non-compliance with national allocations owning to perceived inequities. Addressing these elements is crucial for any organization if it is to sustain its credibility stability and legitimacy. This paper identifies additional barriers facing an equitable allocation process at the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC). These challenges are multi-faceted and include institutional, political, and scientific barriers in the ongoing allocation negotiations, and further inhibit effective negotiation and resolution adoption as a whole. After almost 10 years of negotiations, the process has progressed little, and without agreement on these barriers it will be a challenge to adopt a stable systematic allocation process. Full article

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17 pages, 468 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analyzing the Attitudes of Spanish Firms towards Brexit’s Effects on the Management of European Fisheries

by Lucy Amigo-Dobaño, María Dolores Garza-Gil and Manuel M. Varela-Lafuente

Sustainability 2020, 12(14), 5819; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12145819 - 20 Jul 2020

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2126

Abstract

The United Kingdom has played a prominent role in the Common Fisheries Policy—by contributing to fisheries activities and also by participating in the design of the fisheries policy. Brexit is certain to have significant repercussions for European fisheries activities and their management. This study analyses the views held by companies linked to the fisheries sector in Galicia (fishing, wholesale trade, canned fish, aquaculture, and fish processing), one of the European regions most affected by Brexit given that more than 80% of the Spanish fishing fleet working on UK waters is located in this region. We adopt a quantitative methodology based on the Pearson’s chi-squared test, the likelihood ratio, and the Fisher’s exact test for analyzing opinions about various topics. Results indicate that companies engaged in marine fisheries or trade in fishing goods hold a mostly negative view of Brexit’s effects. In total, 30% of those surveyed anticipate that Brexit will have negative consequences for EU workers in UK fishery companies; a slightly higher percentage of these respondents expect the United Kingdom’s exit from the EU to depress Spain’s foreign trade; over half of those surveyed perceived Brexit as resulting in the adverse scenario of reduced access to fisheries’ resources and were in favor of reformulating the current system of total allowable catches (TACs) and quotas among the remaining post-Brexit member states. Most respondents also agreed that Brexit will have negative repercussions on vessels of the Galician fleet operating under the British flag. Our statistical analysis identifies a significant relationship between negative attitudes and the firm’s size for fisheries’ sectors as a whole; however, no relation between those attitudes and firm size or turnover is identified when the particular fishing companies’ perceptions are evaluated. Full article

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23 pages, 1728 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Can Fishing Tourism Contribute to Conservation and Sustainability via Ecotourism? A Case Study of the Fishery for Giant African Threadfin Polydactylus quadrifilis on the Kwanza Estuary, Angola

by Edward C. Butler, Amber-Robyn Childs, Andrea Saayman and Warren M. Potts

Sustainability 2020, 12(10), 4221; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12104221 - 21 May 2020

Cited by 27 | Viewed by 4602

Abstract

It has been suggested that tourism fisheries can raise the value of landed catch, provide alternative livelihoods for local artisanal fishers and, because recreationally caught fishes are often released, simultaneously conserve stocks. However, for fishing tourism to meet ecotourism standards, sustainable, local economic benefit is imperative. This study aimed to assess the direct economic contribution of the recreational fishery for Polydactylus quadrifilis on the Kwanza Estuary, Angola. The recreational fishery contributed significantly to economic productivity in an otherwise rural area, generating a total revenue (TR) of $236,826 per four-month fishing season. Based on TR, P. quadrifilis was 3.6–32.6 times more valuable than the same fish caught and sold in the artisanal sector. However, high rates of economic leakage (86.1% of local TR) reduced the value of recreationally caught fish to below that of artisanally caught fish. Important sources of economic leakage were via the non-local sourcing of lodge supplies, services and staff and through the repatriation of profits. Capacity building within the local community is suggested to reduce leakages and to create ‘linkages’ with the recreational fishery. Greater community involvement, including the provision of business shares and greater communication and control, is suggested to achieve sustainability and incentivise the protection of recreationally important fishery species. Full article

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20 pages, 573 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Examining Supply Chain for Seafood Industries Using Structural Path Analysis

by Chang K. Seung and Do-Hoon Kim

Sustainability 2020, 12(5), 2061; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12052061 - 07 Mar 2020

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3646

Abstract

The present study investigates the supply chain for seafood industries in Korea. Unlike previous studies, which analyze the supply chain from input users’ perspective only, the present study examines the supply chain from both input users’ (backward linkage) and input suppliers’ (forward linkage) perspectives. In doing so, this study utilizes structural path analyses (SPAs) to scrutinize the specific paths along which the effects of a shock to a seafood industry are transmitted in both backward and forward directions. This study executes these two types of SPAs (backward linkage and forward linkage SPAs) for three seafood industries in Korea that include wild fisheries, aquaculture, and seafood processing, thus depicting a more detailed and complete picture of the mechanisms through which the influences of the seafood industries spill over to the rest of the economy. One important finding is that our SPAs are able to identify a number of seemingly unlikely non-seafood industries that play a critical role in transmitting the effects of a shock to a seafood industry. Full article

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Published Papers (11 papers)

2023

Jump to: 2021, 2020

2021

Jump to: 2023, 2020

2020

Jump to: 2023, 2021

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