http://hdl.handle.net/1957/30468 2013-05-20T18:22:27Z http://hdl.handle.net/1957/31029 A Guide to the Economic Evaluation of Individual Transferable Quota Fisheries Grafton, R. Quentin; Kirkley, James; Squires, Dale; Weninger, Quinn Detailed economic analyses of fisher performance are critical inputs in improving the management of fisheries. The paper provides guidelines about the economic methodologies and the data required to monitor and assess the performance of individual transferable quota fisheries. In particular, it describes the methods of evaluation that could be applied to examine profitability, competitiveness, efficiency, equity, productivity, output and input interactions, capacity and sustainability of such fisheries. 2001-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/1957/31028 Developing an Economic Profile of Texas Shrimp Trawling Operations in The Gulf of Mexico Haby, Michael G.; Falconer, Lawrence L.; Parker, John L. The annual assessment of shrimp fishing performance is important to three interrelated audiences: the regulatory community which defines the policy arena in which fishermen operate, financial institutions which extend credit, and producers. Historic, economic performance data enables policy makers to estimate the ability of producers to absorb production losses and/or increased expenses that resource management measures may mandate. Likewise, commercial lenders accustomed to using industry benchmarks can compare historic performance of a loan applicant against his peers. At the firm level, if key measures of competitiveness such as production costs, profitability, and return on assets are to be improved, producers can gain from knowing how their performance compares against industry standards. This paper describes the development of a database that meets the needs of these three audiences. Annual economic, financial, and production data are provided by cooperating vessel owners. Accrual-adjusted financial statements are the primary sources of financial and economic information while fishing records highlight production-oriented measures (e.g. days-at-sea, gallons of fuel used, pounds harvested, etc.). To create benchmarks in production costs, revenues, and equity changes, a standardized set of ratios and measures is computed that reflects the financial position and performance of trawlers over time. These ratios and measures are computed according to guidelines adopted by the Farm Financial Standards Council. With this information, the impacts of proposed regulations can be assessed both economically and financially providing a basis for communication with policy makers. Similarly, such ratios and measures allow commercial lenders and cooperators to compare individual performance against industry standards. 2001-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/1957/31027 The Economics of Cooperative Fishery Research: A Survey of U.S. West Coast Groundfish Industry and Scientists Harms, John; Sylvia, Gil Cooperative research, the active participation of industry in scientific research, is receiving increased attention as an alternative to traditional government-sponsored methods. Its strongest attributes are its potential to improve spatial and temporal collection of fishery data while reducing some research costs. Despite these potential benefits, there are obstacles to adopting cooperative research on a large scale including concerns about biased data, continuity with current data regimes, and the motivations of the participants. Acknowledging these limitations, this research examines the factors that influence industry's willingness to participate in cooperative research with fishery scientists. During summer 1998, scientists and fishermen in the U.S. West Coast groundfish fishery participated in a mail survey that asked respondents to assess several potential cooperative research projects on the basis of their perceived costs and benefits. Scientists and fishermen differed most strongly on “observer programs” and “interviewing fishermen to gather qualitative data.” The survey also included hypothetical scenarios where fishing vessels would be chartered for research. Fishermen assigned a "desirability" score and "willingness to supply" their vessel for research as a function of varying levels of compensation, days at sea, consultation into the design and conduct of the research, and other factors. Based on a utility of profit supply model, results were analyzed using ordinary least squares. Compensation and skipper consultation had the largest effect on the charter's desirability and respondents' willingness to supply. Age, education, and gear type also significantly affected fishermen's willingness to participate in the charters. These results suggest significant problems in the manner in which scientists and industry relate. Addressing these problems will require developing institutions with appropriate incentives that emphasize "win-win" scenarios for both groups. 2001-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/1957/31026 Addressing Fish Uncertainty: The Quest for Rational Decisionmaking Katz, Mike; Koss, Patricia; Shawcross, Jennifer This paper explores the policy efforts dealing with the problem of declining Pacific Northwest fish runs. Results have been disappointing. Decades of expensive efforts costing billion of dollars have been relatively ineffective in increasing salmon runs. Many species of wild fish continue to decline or remain significantly below target levels of recovery. The issue of scientific and economic uncertainties is examined. Past and current policies have failed to adequately account for these uncertainties. One overall recommendation of this paper is that policymakers and their advisors should explicitly identify any decision criteria upon which they base their judgments or conclusions. A second recommendation is that policy analysis should be explicit about uncertainties. We offer the eighteen decision rules for fashioning fish recovery decisions in an environment of uncertainty. 2001-01-01T00:00:00Z