Adoption and impacts of fishing gear innovations: Insights from a small-scale fishery in Chile

Abstract

Small-scale fisheries contribute to food security and employ millions around the world. Overexploitation, however, threatens the suite of benefits that they can provide. Adopting innovations in gear technology can help to solve problems in fisheries (e.g. by-catch) but can also fuel overexploitation, with detrimental social, ecological, and economic impacts. Early assessments of the impacts of fishing gear innovations are crucial to preventing these innovations' adverse consequences. Using diverse methodologies, we assessed the impacts of a trammel net innovation in the cusk-eel small-scale fishery in central Chile. We show that the trammel net's adoption followed the path predicted by the diffusion of innovations theory and led to significant increases in landings. We also show, using a data-poor stock assessment methodology, that the red cusk-eel stock is overexploited. Next, we identified fishersperception of the ecological and economic impacts of the trammel net innovation. Finally, we used bidding games to assess fishers willingness to accept potential management measures to reduce the gear innovation impacts. Together, our results provide a comprehensive assessment of the trammel net innovation's diverse impacts in the cusk-eel small-scale fishery in central Chile and help identify potential ways forward. Timely and holistic assessments of the impacts of fishing gear innovations are essential to sustain fish stocks, promote responsible fishing and support the livelihoods of those who depend on fisheries worldwide.