An Analysis of Management Policies for Reducing Shrimp By-Catch in the Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

Every year the Gulf of Mexico shrimp fleet catches and discards millions of pounds of finfish. Dwindling populations of some commercially and recreationally valuable fish species have raised concern over the effects of shrimp by-catch on fish stocks. The general bioeconomic fisheries simulation model was used to estimate the changes in economic rent and by-catch of red snapper Lutjanus campechanus, king mackerel Scomberomorus cavalla, and Atlantic croaker Micropogonias undulatus that would result under two fishery management policies: by-catch reduction devices (BRDs) and season-area closures. The BRDs were found to be more effective than closures at reducing by-catch and also less costly to shrimpers. Under the BRD scenarios, red snapper discards were reduced 20.2–42.5%, king mackerel discards fell approximately 89%, and Atlantic croaker discards fell about 45%. Under closure policies, the change in discards was a 2.1–15.0% decline for red snapper, a 1.9% increase to a 39.3% decrease for king mackerel, and a 0.1–12.9% decline for Atlantic croaker. The BRD policies produced present-value 10-year rent streams (1985 US$) ranging from –$16.434 to –$27.007 million, and closure policies generated 10-year rent streams ranging from –$35.182 to –$54.561 million.