Chapter 1: General Introduction
1.4 Study objectives and thesis structure
The specific aim of this research was to quantitatively assess changing fishing practices and fisher behaviour under ITQ management in the TSRL fishery to improve general understanding of how ITQ implementation and design may affect fisher decision-making and improve certainty in fishery management outcomes. As a consequence of this aim, assertions could then be made on the effectiveness of ITQ systems more generally in achieving key fisheries management objectives. The thesis is structured around six core research chapters with Table 1.1 providing a
8 brief overview of each chapter’s aims, results and significance for future management.
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Chapter Title Aim Results Management implications
Two
Are input controls required in individual transferable quota fisheries to address ecosystem based fisheries management objectives?
Assess whether international ITQ systems can effectively manage fishing impacts on all ecosystem components (target, non-target, threatened, endangered and protected [TEP] species and habitats) as required under EBFM objectives.
Input controls were retained across a range of ITQ fisheries, with non-selective fisheries such as trawl employing more input controls than selective fisheries such as purse-seine. Spatial closures were also increasingly used in ITQ fisheries to meet EBFM requirements.
The continued use of input controls, particularly closures weakens the security characteristic of the ITQ and the ability of fishers to manage their right for their future benefit.
Re-introducing input controls in ITQ fisheries has the propensity to modify fishing incentives and behaviours so that they separate from societal objectives for sustainability, which was one of the foremost reasons for introducing ITQ management.
Three
Does “race to fish” behaviour emerge in an individual transferable quota fishery when the total allowable catch becomes non-binding?
Examine whether the presence of a non-binding TAC in the TSRL fishery re-introduced open-access inefficiencies through altering individual fishing incentives and behaviour.
The presence of non-binding TAC: (i) Led to the fishery functioning as a
regulated limited entry fishery between 2008 and 2010.
(ii) Reduced the price of quota on the market causing a reactivation of latent effort and increase in fleet capacity.
The low price of quota also proved a barrier to investment hindering the economic efficiency of the fishing fleet.
Underlined the importance of appropriately setting the TAC to prevent unexpected and undesirable changes in behaviour and fishing practices.
10 fish during times when CPUE was high
increasing the potential for economic rent dissipation.
Four
Managing inshore stocks of southern rock lobster for a
sustainable fishery
Assess the nature, extent and accurate recording of “double night fishing” (DNF) effort and compare differences in catch composition, size structure and effects of handling on growth of lobsters between double night and standard shots.
Not possible to determine full extent of DNF from logbook so depth loggers were utilised. DNF effort not as widespread as envisaged with only 17% of all shots recorded as double night shots. Under- reporting was low (< 1 shot per trip). There was no significant difference in the size composition, extent of injuries, bycatch of double night to standard shots. While effort was slightly higher for DNF than standard fishing trips there was no difference in the CPUE.
Illustrated that in order to determine the full extent of DNF the logbook requirement that fisher’s record “shot type” and “date of month” needed to be removed and replaced with recording the time and date of first pot set and first pot hauled for each shot. The logbook also needed to prevent fishers from combining shots across a calendar day by reporting double the number of pots. This would allow assessment of fine-scale effort, and correction for potential bias from DNF in the stock assessment process for the fishery.
Five
Fishing for revenue: how leasing quota can be hazardous to your health
Determine whether the
introduction of ITQ management has improved sea safety through equally decreasing the physical risk tolerance of quota owners and lease quota fishers in the TSRL fishery.
Fishers in general were averse to physical risk however this was offset by increases in expected revenue. Lease quota fishers were more responsive to changes in expected revenue, which led to significantly higher physical risk tolerances than quota owners in some areas. This appeared to be related to the costs of leasing quota.
ITQs may not improve sea safety if the fishery is dominated by lease quota fishers as they are motivated by an economic incentive to fish in hazardous weather conditions.
It is important that decision-makers consider behavioural differences among quota owners and lease quota fishers when developing and/or modifying regulations.
11 from developing in the first instance should be considered through restrictions on the transferability of quota units.
Six
An experimental analysis of assignment problems and economic rent dissipation in quota-managed fisheries
Assess whether groups consisting of varying numbers of lease quota fishers and quota owners can cooperate with or without communication, to resolve assignment problems caused by heterogeneity in the economic value of catches across time and space that leads to economic rent dissipation.
An inability to communicate led to economic rent dissipation among all groups.
The advent of communication improved coordination among homogenous groups of fishers.
Groups containing both lease quota fishers and quota owners were less successful in preventing rent
dissipation. Lease quota fishers were less likely to adopt a socially-optimal strategy for preventing rent dissipation than quota owners due to: (i) inequality in wealth; (ii) insecurity of tenure; and (iii) asymmetric information exchange.
Highlighted the difficulties heterogeneous fishers may have in solving assignment problems under quota management, particularly as many ITQ fisheries are increasingly characterised by a growing number of lease quota fishers.
Seven
An experimental analysis of the success of income sharing fishery cooperatives in resolving assignment problems that cause
Assess whether groups consisting of varying numbers of lease quota fishers and quota owners can cooperate following the institution of fishery closures or income- sharing fishery cooperatives with
The introduction of fishery closures reduced economic rent dissipation among most groups. Fisheries
dominated by lease quota fishers were less successful due to the differential values that lease quota fishers placed on
Income-sharing among fishery cooperatives are able to successfully align the incentives of heterogeneous groups with objectives to reduce economic rent dissipation.
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dissipation assignment problems caused by
heterogeneity in the economic value of catches across time and space that leads to economic rent dissipation.
Income-sharing fishery cooperatives were equally successful across all groups in reducing economic rent dissipation. This was because income- sharing offset the incentive to over- appropriate the resource if participants doubt others would do the same.
dissipation but the benefits are limited for heterogeneous groups consisting of mainly lease quota fishers.
Appendix
Handle with care: an analysis of the effects of appendage damage on the growth and productivity of the southern rock lobster (Jasus edwardsii).
Assess the effect of different types of injuries (e.g. leg or antenna) on the growth of undersize male and female lobsters from southern areas of Tasmania.
The effect of different types of injuries on the growth of undersize female lobsters could not be differentiated from zero but for undersize males with either antenna or leg injuries, annual growth was reduced by 7%. Annual growth of undersize male lobsters with both types of injuries was reduced by 40%.
With an estimated 6% of undersize male lobsters damaged during commercial fishing in southern areas of Tasmania it was predicted that annual lost
productivity and revenue due to damage was 1.6 tonnes or $72,905 respectively.
Highlighted the effectiveness of current management measures, sorting procedures and the biology of the species in reducing the capture and excessive handling of undersize lobsters.
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