Abstract
Despite their importance for human well-being, nearshore fisheries are often data poor, undervalued, and underappreciated in policy and development programs. We assess the value chain for nearshore Hawaiian coral reef fisheries, mapping post-catch distribution and disposition, and quantifying associated monetary, food security, and cultural values. We estimate that the total annual value of the nearshore fishery in Hawaiʻi is $10.3-$16.4 million, composed of non-commercial ($7.2-$12.9 million) and commercial ($2.97 million licensed + $148,500-$445,500 unlicensed) catch. Hawaii’s nearshore fisheries provide >7 million meals annually, with most (>5 million) from the non-commercial sector. Over a third (36%) of meals were planktivores, 26% piscivores, 21% primary consumers, and 18% secondary consumers. Only 62% of licensed commercial catch is accounted for in purchase reports, leaving 38% of landings unreported in sales. Value chains are complex, with major buyers for the commercial fishery including grocery stores (66%), retailers (19%), wholesalers (14%), and restaurants (<1%), who also trade and sell amongst themselves. The bulk of total nearshore catch (72–74%) follows a short value chain, with non-commercial fishers keeping catch for household consumption or community sharing. A small amount (~37,000kg) of reef fish—the equivalent of 1.8% of local catch—is imported annually into Hawaiʻi, 23,000kg of which arrives as passenger luggage on commercial flights from Micronesia. Evidence of exports to the US mainland exists, but is unquantifiable given existing data. Hawaiian nearshore fisheries support fundamental cultural values including subsistence, activity, traditional knowledge, and social cohesion. These small-scale coral reef fisheries provide large-scale benefits to the economy, food security, and cultural practices of Hawaiʻi, underscoring the need for sustainable management. This research highlights the value of information on the value chain for small-scale production systems, making the hidden economy of these fisheries visible and illuminating a range of conservation interventions applicable to Hawaiʻi and beyond.
Highlights
Small-scale fisheries support food and livelihood security for hundreds of millions of people [1,2,3], yet suffer from data and information deficiencies that hinder sustainable management
The total annual value-added of the nearshore fishery in Hawai‘i was approximately $10.3-$16.4 million, with the non-commercial fishery valued between seven to nearly 13 million dollars annually ($7,219,072-$12,987,945)
At least 62% of licensed commercial catch remained in the formal economy in commercial markets
Summary
Small-scale fisheries support food and livelihood security for hundreds of millions of people [1,2,3], yet suffer from data and information deficiencies that hinder sustainable management. The remote and dispersed nature of these fisheries, along with marginal political power [4], have sidelined the sector from national fisheries development policy [5]. As such, these systems have received far less attention than industrialized fisheries and far fewer resources are devoted to the small-scale fisheries sector. Sustainable management and fisheries sector development strategies are greatly needed in the US Pacific region, given current challenges to management capacity and the importance of seafood production to local cultures and food security [9,10,11]. The economic and sociocultural benefits nearshore fisheries provide to communities have diminished over time
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