Fishery Performance Research Articles

One hundred-seventy years of stressors erode salmon fishery climate resilience in California's warming landscape.

People seek reliable natural resources despite climate change. Diverse habitats and biologies stabilize productivity against disturbances like climate, prompting arguments to promote climate-resilient resources by prioritizing complex, less-modified ecosystems. These arguments hinge on the hypothesis that simplifying and degrading ecosystems will reduce resources' climate resilience, a process liable to be cryptically evolving across landscapes and human generations, but rarely documented. Here, we examined the industrial era (post 1848) of California's Central Valley, chronicling the decline of a diversified, functional portfolio of salmon habitats and life histories and investigating for empirical evidence of lost climate resilience in its fishery. Present perspectives indicate that California's dynamic, warming climate overlaid onto its truncated, degraded habitat mosaic severely constrains its salmon fishery. We indeed found substantial climate constraints on today's fishery, but this reflected a shifted ecological baseline. During the early stages of a stressor legacy that transformed the landscape and -- often consequently -- compressed salmon life history expression, the fishery diffused impacts of dry years across a greater number of fishing years and depended less on cool spring-summer transitions. The latter are important given today's salmon habitats, salmon life histories, and resource management practices, but are vanishing with climate change while year-to-year variation in fishery performance is rising. These findings give empirical weight to the idea that human legacies influence ecosystems' climate resilience across landscapes and boundaries (e.g., land/sea). They also raise the question of whether some contemporary climate effects are recent and attributable not only to increasing climate stress, but to past and present human actions that erode resilience. In general, it is thus worth considering that management approaches that prioritize complex, less-modified ecosystems may stabilize productivity despite increasing climate stress and such protective actions may be required for some ecological services to persist into uncertain climate futures.

Linking small-scale fisheries performance to governance attributes: A quantitative assessment from stakeholders' perceptions in the Americas and Europe

Small-scale fisheries (SSFs) provide food security, livelihood, and employment to millions of people around the world. Whereas the urgency of securing sustainable SSFs is widely recognized, the governance characteristics that promote sustainability are poorly understood. This study evaluates the performance and governance of SSFs in 20 countries in the Americas and Europe, with the aim of finding the most likely paths to improve SSFs outcomes. Fisheries performance was assessed through ecological and socio-economic indicators derived from stakeholders’ perceptions. The relative importance of 15 governance attributes associated with the perceived performance was identified using random forest regression models. The perceived status of many SSFs analyzed here is of great concern. Trends in reported landings, landings per unit effort, and revenues have decreased between 3% and 10% on average in the last 5 years, and these declines were steeper in Latin American and southern European fisheries than in North American or northern European fisheries. Perceived social cohesion was also poor, as reflected by conflicts outweighing cooperation. Adaptability, communication, transparency, and the involvement of highly skilled fishers and community leaders were the most relevant factors associated with reversing the perceived declines in SSFs. Strengthening human capital should be a priority in the reform of SSFs, and the following actions are strongly recommended to support sustainable SSFs: 1) adopting flexible approaches in responding to changes; 2) fostering dialog by using diverse communication channels or involving neutral mediators; 3) identifying and training community leaders; and 4) empowering fishers to participate actively in governance.

Suistainability of Small Scale Capture Fisheries in Banggai Laut Waters, Indonesia

Small scale capture fisheries is one of the leading sectors that drive the economy of Banggai Laut Regency. Fishing technology improved related to fishing efforts has an effect on the preservation of fish stocks resource in the area that it required management efforts. This study aims to determine the sustainability status of small scale fisheries in Banggai Laut Regency based on ecological, fishing technology, social and economic dimensions. The research was conducted from September to December 2017 in seven sub-districts in Banggai Laut Regency. In determining the sustainability status of each dimension, the Rapfish (Rapid Appraisal for Fisheries Sustainability) approach is used. Furthermore, in determining the attributes that had an influence on the sustainability performance of small scale capture fisheries, a leverage analysis is carried out. The results showed that the highest sustainability index was the economic dimension of 75.57 (good), the ecological dimension of 59.25 (good), and the lowest was the social dimension of 22.95 (very bad), the dimension of fishing technology was 22.62 (very bad). Remedial measures that must be taken to improve sustainability performance include improving law enforcement facilities and infrastructure at sea and empowering supervisory officers, limiting excessive use of FAD, providing subsidies to small scale fisheries, and regulating fishing areas between local fishermen and Andon fishermen.

Identifying Pathways for Climate-Resilient Multispecies Fisheries

Fish live in communities, and most fisheries catch multiple species, yet fishery management predominately focuses on single species. In many multispecies fisheries, a variety of species are generally caught together at similar rates. Failure to account for this adequately in management has resulted in serial depletion and alterations to the ecosystem. Ideally, multispecies fisheries management should strive to produce good yields from specific valuable stocks and avoid adverse impacts of fishing on marine ecosystems. Moreover, multispecies management should aim to build resilience to changes in stock productivity and distribution driven by climate change. Here, we present tools and pathways that seven fisheries are adopting to achieve these goals. These case studies – from Mexico, Cuba, and Chile – differ in data richness, governance structure, and management resources. The management systems are also in various stages of evolution from unmanaged to complete management of a single species but transitioning to multispecies management. While various analytical tools and decision-making processes are described in the case studies, a common feature is the use of participatory stakeholder processes to build capacity and socialize the importance of multispecies management. We use lessons from these cases to recommend a multispecies management approach to overcome the limitations of current practices (typically single-species catch limits or large spatial restrictions), using the participatory processes and data-limited assessments to create stock complexes that simplify multispecies management (i.e., the “fish baskets” approach). Indicator species for each fish basket are identified to support the development of fishery performance indicators, reference values, harvest control rules, and management measures to create an adaptive management cycle to enhance the fishery’s resilience to impacts induced by climate change and other factors.

More for less: Citizen science supporting the management of small-scale recreational fisheries

While many global fisheries rely on commercial catch and effort statistics to inform stock assessments and management, alternative approaches are required for small-scale recreational fisheries. In this study, a citizen science program was implemented to collect recreational catch and effort and fishery-independent data using three Western Australian blue swimmer crab (Portunus armatus) fisheries as case studies. Between 2013 and 2019, an opt-in Research Angler Program (RAP) was supported by 102 diarists submitting data from 1,705 fishing events, with direct and regular contact proving important for maintaining participation. Representing the only current recreational crabbing information for the three fisheries, the RAP data proved valuable in assessing management options (e.g. increases in size limits, bag limit reductions, seasonal closures) during a recent review of the Western Australian P. armatus resource. Two follow-up surveys to canvass diarist attitudes towards the program identified a desire to contribute to research and management, and concerns about fish stocks, as key motivations for involvement. In addition, 26 diarists assisted with fishery-independent breeding stock surveys (FIS) to collect valuable stock assessment data. The RAP and FIS proved complementary, as the first provided useful spatial/temporal coverage of catch rates and catch composition, while the second gave a targeted assessment of breeding stock abundance. We demonstrate how the data can generate annual fishery performance indices, such as standardised recreational catch rates and a fishery-independent egg production index, to support a potential harvest strategy. This study highlights a cost-effective and highly valuable citizen science approach to obtain key information for the assessment and management of small scale recreational fisheries, with suggested recommendations for researchers considering a similar approach elsewhere.

Fishing trip cost modeling using generalized linear model and machine learning methods - A case study with longline fisheries in the Pacific and an application in Regulatory Impact Analysis.

Fishing trip cost is an important element in evaluating economic performance of fisheries, assessing economic effects from fisheries management alternatives, and serving as input for ecosystem and bioeconomic modeling. However, many fisheries have limited trip-level data due to low observer coverage. This article introduces a generalized linear model (GLM) utilizing machine learning (ML) techniques to develop a modeling approach to estimate the functional forms and predict the fishing trip costs of unsampled trips. GLM with Lasso regularization and ML cross-validation of model are done simultaneously for predictor selection and evaluation of the predictive power of a model. This modeling approach is applied to estimate the trip-level fishing costs using the empirical sampled trip costs and the associated trip-level fishing operational data and vessel characteristics in the Hawaii and American Samoa longline fisheries. Using this approach to build models is particularly important when there is no strong theoretical guideline on predictor selection. Also, the modeling approach addresses the issue of skewed trip cost data and provides predictive power measurement, compared with the previous modeling efforts in trip cost estimation for the Hawaii longline fishery. As a result, fishing trip costs for all trips in the fishery can be estimated. Lastly, this study applies the estimated trip cost model to conduct an empirical analysis to evaluate the impacts on trip costs due to spatial regulations in the Hawaii longline fishery. The results show that closing the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) could induce an average 14% increase in fishing trip costs, while the trip cost impacts of the Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) closures could be lower.

Influence of Steelhead Trout Stocking Size and Location on Emigration and Adult Returns

AbstractEffective stocking programs are an essential part of maintaining most high‐quality tributary steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss fisheries in the Great Lakes, requiring sufficient numbers of stocked fish to survive, imprint, and return as adults. New York’s Lake Erie tributaries have long supported popular and economically important recreational steelhead fisheries, attracting anglers from across the country. Recent research has illustrated New York’s dependence on “stray” steelhead from other jurisdictions, making New York fisheries vulnerable to other agencies’ management decisions. We hypothesized that the limited contribution by New York‐stocked steelhead was attributable to poor poststocking survival and imprinting due to the smaller stocking size relative to other Lake Erie jurisdictions. We took an experimental approach to describe how the combination of stocking size and within‐stream stocking location interact to influence emigration and adult returns and identify mechanisms that may be driving these relationships, with the goal of identifying stocking strategies that improve adult returns. Stocked steelhead >150 mm total length emigrated from the stream by the end of May; small‐size steelhead tended to remain in the stream and exhibited upstream migration. The residual population of steelhead lost body condition and likely experienced high mortality. Adult returns from large‐size fish that were stocked 6.4 km upstream were 4.1 times greater than small‐size fish stocked upstream and six times greater than fish stocked near the lake confluence (0.8 km upstream). We conclude that many of the steelhead stocked by New York are too small to imprint and emigrate, instead remaining as stream residents that experience poor survival and ultimately make minimal contributions to the adult fishery. Increases in the stocking size of New York steelhead coupled with stocking well upstream of the lake confluence would result in increased adult returns of New York‐stocked fish to their streams of origin and improved fishery performance and resiliency.

Consequences of changing water clarity on the fish and fisheries of the Laurentian Great Lakes

Human-driven environmental change underlies recent changes in water clarity in many of the world’s great lakes, yet our understanding of the consequences of these changes on the fish and fisheries they support remains incomplete. Herein, we offer a framework to organize current knowledge, guide future research, and help fisheries managers understand how water clarity can affect their valued populations. Emphasizing Laurentian Great Lakes findings where possible, we describe how changing water clarity can directly affect fish populations and communities by altering exposure to ultraviolet radiation, foraging success, predation risk, reproductive behavior, or territoriality. We also discuss how changing water clarity can affect fisheries harvest and assessment through effects on fisher behavior and sampling efficiency (i.e., catchability). Finally, we discuss whether changing water clarity can affect understudied aspects of fishery performance, including economic and community benefits. We conclude by identifying generalized predictions and discuss their implications for priority research questions for the Laurentian Great Lakes. Even though the motivation for this work was regional, the breadth of the review and generality of the framework are readily transferable to other freshwater and marine habitats.

The Role of Food Web Interactions in Multispecies Fisheries Management: Bio-economic Analysis of Salmon, Herring and Grey Seal in the Northern Baltic Sea

Multispecies bio-economic models are useful tools to give insights into ecosystem thinking and ecosystem-based management. This paper developed an age-structured multispecies bio-economic model that includes the food web relations of the grey seal, salmon, and herring, along with salmon and herring fisheries in the Baltic Sea. The results show that the increasing seal population influences salmon fisheries and stock, but the impacts on the harvest are stronger than on the stock if the targeted management policies are obeyed. If seal population growth and a low herring stock occur simultaneously, the salmon harvest could face a serious threat. In addition, scenarios of the multispecies management approach in this paper reveal a benefit that our model can evaluate the performance of different fisheries with identical or different management strategies simultaneously. The results show the most profitable scenario is that both fisheries pursuit aggregated profits and reveal a trade-off between herring fisheries and salmon fisheries. Our model indicates that the herring harvest level and the approaches to managing herring fisheries can influence the performance of salmon fisheries. The study also demonstrates a way to develop a multispecies bio-economic model that includes both migratory fish and mammalian predators.

An Online Voluntary Angler Catch Reporting Program for Managing Muskellunge Fisheries in Ohio: Trends in Catch Data and Angler Participation

AbstractMuskellunge Esox masquinongy fisheries in Ohio are maintained through annual stocking of advanced fingerlings (25–30 cm) at nine reservoirs. Voluntary angler catch reporting is the principal method for monitoring (stocking and angling success) these fisheries. During 1960–2007, anglers reported catching over 47,000 Muskellunge by mailing catch cards to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife. In 2008, a new online catch reporting system, the Muskie Angler Log (MAL), was launched. Designed in collaboration with anglers, the MAL provides important fishery data to biologists while also serving as a fishing resource for anglers. Anglers who use the MAL can view, summarize, and download their personal catches, review reservoir‐specific stocking records and catch histories, and examine recent catch details that are voluntarily shared by other anglers. Catch data from the MAL is vital to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife for characterizing fisheries, tracking fishery performance (numbers and sizes), leveraging Muskellunge management decisions, and supporting Muskellunge‐specific research. Total reported catches in the MAL have increased over time, with most (six of nine) reservoirs showing increased or stable trends in reported catches. Despite increasing catch reports, annual angler participation in the MAL has declined, which could reduce the effectiveness of the system in monitoring these fisheries. It is not known whether this trend represents an actual decline in participation or is a function of the periodicity in catches among anglers. We modeled the change in the population size (λ) of anglers participating in the MAL using a mark–recapture method (Pradel model). Overall, the modeling indicated that the population of anglers using the MAL has declined since 2008, with the number of anglers belonging to a Muskellunge fishing club declining slower than that for nonclub members. Intervention methods promoting and incentivizing the use of the MAL will be required to assure that the MAL provides the necessary data for managing Muskellunge.

Conservation risks and portfolio effects in mixed‐stock fisheries

AbstractFish biodiversity sustains the resilience and productivity of fisheries, yet this biodiversity can be threatened by overharvest and depletion in mixed‐stock fisheries. Thus, the biodiversity that provides benefits may also make sustainable resource extraction more difficult, a key challenge in fisheries management. We simulated a mixed‐stock fishery to explore relationships between different dimensions of biodiversity and fishery performance relative to conservation and fishery objectives. Different dimensions of biodiversity (number of stocks, evenness, asynchrony among stocks, heterogeneity in stock productivity) exacerbated trade‐offs between fishery and conservation objectives. For example, fisheries targeting stock‐complexes with greater asynchrony, and to a lesser extent richness, had greater stability in harvest through time but also greater risks of overfishing weak stocks and reduced yield compared to less biodiverse stock‐complexes. These trade‐offs were ameliorated by increasing management control—the capacity of fishery managers to harvest specific stocks. To explore these trade‐offs in real‐world fisheries, we contrasted the fishing and population status of individual stocks within three major mixed‐stock sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka, Salmonidae) fisheries—Bristol Bay, Fraser River, and Skeena River. In general, the fisheries with lower management control had individual stocks that were more often being over‐ or under‐fished, compared with those with higher management control, though variation among regions in biodiversity, scale of management, and magnitude of habitat alteration likely also contribute to these relationships. Collectively, our findings emphasize that there is a need to extract less or regulate better in order to conserve and benefit from biodiversity in fisheries and other natural resource management systems.

Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs): A global analysis of status and performance

Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs) have been increasing in numbers worldwide over the last decade to improve fishery practices towards sustainability. This paper tries to analyse the current status and performance of fisheries currently involved in FIPs and listed in the website Fishery Progress (www.fisheryprogress.org). Out of the 126 analysed FIPs, 59 FIPs did not show any changes in status, in addition to 6 FIPs with no status information. These fisheries double the total landings of the fisheries that showed improvements. The results reveal that young FIPs (those 2 years old or less) account for 42 out of the 59 that did not show any changes in status. Weak relationship between the improvements in scores and actions completed or cumulative duration (spent time) of the project was observed. FAO areas with highest scores were in the northern hemisphere while the lowest were in the south. The finding of fisheries scoring poorly in the global south may reflect data gaps rather than poor performance, or a mixture of the two that demands care of interpretation.

Factors affecting the performance of the traditional fisheries fishing effort in the regency of Kubu Raya, West Borneo

PurposeThis study aims to explain the factors that affect the performance of traditional fishing business at Kubu Raya Regency of West Borneo Province.Design/methodology/approachThe method used in this research is quantitative method. The research location in Kubu, Padang Tikar and Teluk Pakedai sub-districts of Kubu Raya Regency of West Borneo Province, considering the location is the target of CCDP-IFAD in Kubu Raya district. The data analysis model in this research is done by using structural equation model (SEM) approach with assisted WarpPLS program (partial least square development).FindingsBased on the results of the analysis of SEM, it is revealed that the direct influence of the six dependent variables the environment of the individual fisherman, regulatory and government policy, environmental economics, a social-cultural environment, managerial capacity and the sustainability of the business aspects of ecological management affect directly toward traditional capture fisheries business performance, only empowerment that is not directly influential on performance of traditional capture fisheries business.Originality/valueThe originality in this study is shown in the objectives and variables used in the research, i.e. individual environmental variables of fishermen, government policies and regulations, economic environment, social-cultural environment, empowerment, management capacity and business sustainability influence the performance variable of traditional fishing business. In addition, there is a direct influence, allegedly there is an indirect influence on the variables empowerment of the performance of fishery business.

Small scale fisheries performance: comparative analysis before and during the Covid-19 pandemic in Indonesia

The incidence of the Covid-19 pandemic indirectly affects the decline in the activity of the processing industry and fish consumption by the community. In the short term, there is also a decline in fish prices. This study examines whether the decline in economic activity in the fisheries sector causes changes in the performance of small-scale fisheries, both before and during the Covid-19 pandemic in Tolitoli Regency, Central Sulawesi Province. The target of the research object is fishers who use trolling lines, handline, and beach seine. The analytical method used is Exponential Comparison Method. The results showed that capture fisheries belonging to SSF, which had high performance before covid-19, were fishing gear, and the lowest performance was Surrounding net. On the other hand, the surrounding net has a higher performance during the pandemic than the other three fishing gears, and the lowest is Trolling lines. However, there has been a significant decline in prices and market affordability, the economic contribution of small-scale fishing businesses from before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. For this reason, a policy to open up an export-oriented fish catch market and a wider market reach is required.

Trawling for triple bottom line results: Applying the Fishery Performance Indicators in the Faroe Islands

Lost benefits from overfishing and economic inefficiency affect fisheries-dependent economies and communities most, making sound management of the resource vital. There are different approaches to fisheries management. The wealth-based model argues that in fisheries-dependent economies, the policy objective should be to maximise resource rent and redistribute the wealth. The welfare model argues that fisheries should function as poverty alleviation. We hypothesise that in fisheries-dependent developed economies, wealth-based fisheries management will lead to better triple bottom line outcomes. Both models are used in the Faroe Islands. To test the hypothesis, three Faroese fisheries are analysed using the Fishery Performance Indicators. The wealth-based managed fisheries had better triple bottom line outcomes but all three fisheries had very high Community performance. This is due to the many welfare services provided to Faroese citizens—services that to a large extent are funded by the wealth generated in the fishery, emphasising the importance of good management.

How did a network of marine protected areas impact adjacent fisheries? Evidence from Australia

Marine‐protected areas (MPAs) are an effective means of improving habitat quality and biodiversity in the world’s oceans. While the advantages of MPAs as a mechanism for conservation and biodiversity are well established, the potential improvements to fishery performance resulting from a network of MPAs are still being established. Countries around the world have committed to establishing networks of MPAs within their waters by 2020, in response to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. This, coupled with the increasing global demand for seafood and heavy reliance on fishery resources as a source of economic development for many coastal communities, means that an understanding of how these networks can be expected to impact fishery performance is extremely important. We use a difference‐in‐difference modelling approach to isolate the change in the fishery performance associated with the south‐east marine reserve network in Australia. We find no evidence that the economic performance of adjacent fisheries was negatively impacted by the network. This lack of impact is likely due to a network design explicitly intended to avoid effort displacement in key fisheries, along with fishery management changes intended to remove excess fishing capacity.

Environmental drivers of commercial blue swimmer crab (Portunus armatus) catch rates in Western Australian fisheries

Sustainable fisheries management requires accurate stock assessment and an understanding of how targeted populations vary over space and time and respond to external stressors. Commercial fishery catch rate data (i.e. catch per unit of effort; CPUE) are widely used to assess fishery performance and can provide a measure of stock abundance. However, changes in environmental conditions can influence the two determinants of CPUE, i.e. catchability (q) and abundance (N). We explore the influence of environmental variables (water temperature, wind speed, rainfall, freshwater flow, wave height, lunar illumination, tide height and depth) on commercial blue swimmer crab Portunus armatus CPUE in five Western Australian fisheries. Generalised additive mixed models (GAMMs) were used to identify which variables had the greatest influence on CPUE, and enabled predictions of how these can vary with environmental change. Water temperature had a significant positive effect on CPUE in all fisheries, although some fisheries exhibited a CPUE decline above an optimal temperature range. Wind speed and tide height had significant and generally positive (but lower magnitude) effects in three of the five fisheries investigated, while lunar illumination and freshwater flow caused a decline in CPUE in two or less fisheries. When annual CPUE were standardised for these significant environmental effects, they displayed clear variation from nominal (raw) CPUE. These results highlight the importance of measuring and accounting for environmental effects (e.g. through catch rate standardisation) when using CPUE for fishery assessments.

Comparison of approaches for incorporating depredation on fisheries catches into Ecopath

AbstractEcosystem-based approaches are increasingly used in fisheries management to account for the direct trophic impacts of fish population harvesting. However, fisheries can also indirectly alter ecosystem structure and functioning, for instance via the provision of new feeding opportunities to marine predators. For instance, marine depredation, where predators feed on fishery catches on fishing gear, is a behaviour developed by many marine species globally. This behaviour can modify both the ecological role of predators and fisheries performance. Yet, these ecosystem-wide effects of depredation are rarely considered holistically. In this study, we explored different ways of incorporating depredation into an Ecopath trophic model. We assessed, through a subantarctic case study, how three alternative model structures can account for depredation effects on fishery catches, predator and non-commercial prey populations, as well as target fish stocks. While none adequately addresses all facets of depredation, the alternative models can to some extent capture how depredation can lead to increased fishing pressure on stocks. As structural specificities of Ecopath prevented us from representing other depredation effects such as provisioning effects for predator populations, we conclude this study with a set of guidance to effectively capture the complex effects of depredation in marine ecosystems and fisheries models.

Fishery reforms for the management of non-indigenous species

Marine ecosystems are undergoing major transformations due to the establishment and spread of Non-Indigenous Species (NIS). Some of these organisms have adverse effects, for example by reducing biodiversity and causing ecosystem shifts. Others have upsides, such as benefits to fisheries or replacing lost ecological functions and strengthening biogenic complexity. Stopping the spread of NIS is virtually impossible and so the societal challenge is how to limit the socioeconomic, health, and ecological risks, and sustainably exploit the benefits provided by these organisms. We propose a move away from the notion that NIS have only negative effects, and suggest a turn towards an Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management approach for NIS (EBFM-NIS) in the Mediterranean Sea, the world's most invaded marine region. A structured, iterative, and adaptive framework that considers the range of costs and benefits to ecosystems, ecosystem services, and fisheries is set out to determine whether NIS stocks should be managed using sustainable or unsustainable exploitation. We propose fishery reforms such as multiannual plans, annual catch limits, technical measures for sustainable exploitation, and legitimization of unlimited fishing of selected NIS and introduction of a radical new license for NIS fishing for unsustainable exploitation. Depending on local conditions, investment strategies can be included within the EBFM-NIS framework to protect/enhance natural assets to improve ecosystem resilience against NIS, as well as fishery assets to improve the performance of NIS fisheries. Examples of the former include the enhancement of Marine Protected Areas, harvesting of invasive NIS within MPAs, and protection of overfished predators and key species. Examples of the latter include market promotion and valorisation of NIS products, development of novel NIS products, and innovative/alternative NIS fishing such as fishery-related tourism (‘pescatourism’). The application of the suggested EBFM-NIS would create jobs, protect and enhance ecosystem services, and help to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.

The performance of shared fish stock fisheries under varying institutional and socioeconomic conditions: Evidence from the South Eastern Pacific Anchoveta Fishery

We apply the Fishery Performance Indicators (FPIs) methodology to the Southeast Pacific Anchoveta Fishery off southern Peru and northern Chile. Our basic model of analysis is a production function framework, where the performance outcomes are a result of the available inputs. We measured all FPI categories (outcomes and input metrics) and then grouped the metrics into different dimensions suitable for analysis. We obtained the value of each metric from different sources using expert evaluation and secondary information. Then we calculated aggregated measures at the country level and for the total fishery. We compared the country results and tested for mean differences. Our results suggest that there are no significant differences between the Chilean and Peruvian fisheries in terms of inputs. Moreover, no differences between the fisheries branches were found in the post-harvest stage. In the harvest stage, however, the Chilean fishery performs better than the Peruvian. From the differences and similarities found, we discuss the performance results between the Peruvian and Chilean branches of the fishery. The differences we found seems to be due to general societal factors that are beyond the control of fisheries managers. The differences in the organization of the fishery, characterized by high levels of concentration and vertical integration in the Chilean branch, could also explain the observed gap in performance.