INNOVATIVE APPROACHES FOR FOSTERING CONSERVATION MARINE FISHERIES

Abstract

Many modern fisheries management systems create incentives to overfish, leading to negative economic and environmental consequences for human welfare and marine ecosystem health. In this paper, we review problems faced by many fisheries managers, including overcapitalization, by-catch of nontarget species, and alteration of marine food webs. We recommend the formulation of alternative fisheries management goals based on risk-averse, multispecies management. We discuss alternative fisheries management systems, including transferable fishing privileges, community development quotas, and individual transferable quotas (ITQs). We argue that fostering fisheries conservation will require combining stringent performance criteria with alternative fisheries management designed to create incentives for sustainability.