Ecological indicators display reduced variation in North American catch share fisheries.

ABSTRACT: A growing push to implement catch share fishery programs is based partly on the recognition that they may provide stronger incentives for ecological stewardship than conventional fisheries management. Using data on population status, quota compliance, discard rates, use of habitat-damaging gear, and landings for 15 catch share programs in North America, I tested the hypothesis that catch share systems lead to improved ecological stewardship and status of exploited populations. Impacts of catch share programs were measured through comparisons of fisheries with catch shares to fisheries without catch shares or by comparing fisheries before and after catch shares were implemented. The average levels of most indicators were unaffected by catch share implementation: only discard rate, which dec

SUBMITTER: Essington TE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2818897 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature