The integration of South African fisheries into the global economy: Past,present and future

The integration of the South African fisheries into the global economy has operated as a powerful constraint on post-apartheid fisheries reform. The shedding of South Africa's international pariah status and currency depreciation enhanced access to and competitiveness on global markets, sparking a demersal-led export boom, which has favoured incumbent producers. Increased exports have also allowed the post-apartheid state and nascent black capital to maximise their returns from the fisheries through cost recovery and share purchases. The protection and promotion of the fisheries’ “international competitiveness”, inter alia sought through “sustainable fishery” certification of the hake industry with the Maritime Stewardship Council (MSC), has in turn provided a cover-all for the refusal of populist redistribution demands and special treatment for black small capital.     

Perceptions and preferences of commercial fishers for dedicated access privilege framework in a multispecies fishery

The decline of the world's fisheries and the inability of traditional management frameworks to maintain them, has led managers to adopt alternative management frameworks. The use of dedicated access privileges have often been shown to have varying popularity among factions within the commercial fishing industry and managers. Here, we examine commercial fishers' preference for alternative management frameworks in the context of a unique multispecies fisheries of the Florida Keys. By surveying commercial fishers, we find that that the size of operation plays no role in affecting fisher perception regarding dedicated access privileges. Furthermore, fishers who are organized are less likely to support dedicated access privilege frameworks. Overall, we do not find enough support in the fishing industry for the implementation of dedicated access privileges in the Florida Keys. These findings can provide inputs in developing effective management plans in the region.     

Insights from the users to improve fisheries performance: Fishers’ knowledge and attitudes on fisheries policies in Bahía de Kino,Gulf of California,Mexico

This study investigated the interpretation and level of support of government regulations in Bahía de Kino, Sonora, one of the most important fishing communities in terms of diving extraction of benthic resources in the Northern Gulf of California. Research was conducted from April to August 2007, focusing on the small-scale fisheries sector of commercial divers. Information on fishers’ awareness of current policies, fishers’ attitudes concerning different aspects of fisheries regulation, and fishers' suggestions on how their fisheries should be managed, was gathered through structured interviews (including open and closed-ended questions), informal talks and participant observation. Results provide further evidence supporting the need for formally recognizing the fishers as key stakeholders in local fisheries, and for working cooperatively towards the design of management strategies and regulations that provide better stimulus for resource stewardship and discourage overfishing. Very importantly, this study suggests that there is strong support from resource users for implementing regulatory measures for local fisheries. Results could be used as a preliminary baseline to initiate the discussion among fishery stakeholders towards the development of species-specific management plans for the area, as required by the recently enacted fisheries act in Mexico, the “Ley General de Pesca y Acuacultura Sustentables”.     

Trust in the fisheries scientific community

This paper explores the issue of “trust” in the fisheries science community, a key corollary of effective risk communication. It presents the findings of a survey undertaken in Iceland, Greece, Spain, United Kingdom and Faroe Islands during 2008. The findings reveal differing levels of trust and mistrust in the fisheries science community between countries and between stakeholder groups, demonstrating areas for future attention in the interests of improving fisheries science and management. As this paper explores, unfortunately the “trust” necessary for effective stakeholder cooperation and participation within current fisheries science is currently somewhat lacking. The cited reasons behind this lack of trust include: a lack of soundness, credibility, responsiveness, flexibility and stakeholder involvement, flawed data and weak science, poor communications and political and lobby group interference. Notable from the results is a lack of consensus on the existence of a common language and vision. It is evident, however, that certain aspects of fisheries science are strong contributors to trust and that there are opportunities for improvement.     

Application of a vessel monitoring system to advance sustainable fisheries management—Benefits received in Taiwan

Vessel monitoring systems (VMS) are considered important instruments for fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) to reverse the current depressed state of the world’s fisheries, and have been mandated worldwide by fishery management agencies. The essential function of the system is to provide near-real time vessel position; the potential applications could, however, be more than that. This study explores the additional benefits, with practical examples, that Taiwan has received from implementing the system: in improving the quantity and quality of logbooks recovered, obtaining access to fishery-independent fishing effort estimates and prompt catch/effort reporting, enabling the possibility of regional management and understanding of both fleet dynamics and vessel behavior, and increasing efficiency of vessel safety protection. For other distant-water fishing nations, Taiwan’s experiences serve to demonstrate how the application of VMS technology can advance sustainable fisheries management.     

The hard choices of sustainability

Sustainable fisheries are the main objective of Norwegian fisheries management. Despite powerful management tools, sustainability in the fisheries sector is not an easy task. There is no formal definition of the concept, and operationalization is vague. In recent years, private actors and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have increased their impact on defining sustainability in the fisheries, which has reduced the power of the traditional fisheries management to determine its content. The lack of a clear strategy for fisheries management to increase sustainability makes it timely to address three research questions: (i) what is meant by “sustainable fisheries”, (ii) to what extent has the institutionalization of the Norwegian fisheries management channeled the sustainability concept towards specific trajectories, and (iii) what are the options and hard choices available to increase sustainability in the Norwegian fisheries in the future? These questions are investigated in this article.     

The promise and perils of building a co-management regime: An institutional assessment of New Zealand fisheries management between 1999 and 2005

This article uses a longitudinal survey (1999–2005) of commercial stakeholder organizations (CSOs) to assess the development, strengths and weaknesses of New Zealand's fisheries co-management over its first six years. After presenting the current characteristics and activities of CSOs, the institutional analysis and development (IAD) Framework is used to examine the regime. Results show a pattern of strengths and weaknesses with some areas substantially improved since earlier waves of the survey, while other areas have experienced surprising setbacks. These results suggest that in 2005 the regime remained fragile. Finally, New Zealand's recent move towards inshore “Shared Fisheries” management is explored in light of these findings.     

Reference points for optimal fish stock management: A lesson to be learned from the Northeast Arctic cod stock

In the North Atlantic the Icelandic, the North Sea, and the Newfoundland cod stocks are currently overexploited. Overexploitation also characterised the Northeast Arctic cod stock, but effective management measures introduced in 1990 and the years thereafter have brought this stock within safe biological limits. The Northeast Arctic cod stock is transboundary and shared between Norway and Russia. As guidelines for a sound management strategy of this cod stock in the future, reference points for management are discussed. As a point of departure, a management strategy which fulfils the objectives for fishery policy stated by Norway is analysed. These objectives, focusing on sustainable harvesting, increased profitability and the role of the fishery as employer of labour in rural districts are fundamental in most of the world's fishery nations.The “optimal” strategy is defined as the one which fulfils these in the best way possible. The natural variations are discussed and the biological and economic yield's dependence upon the rate of exploitation are analysed. The analysis shows that the size of the spawning stock should be no less than 500 000 tonnes and that highest yield is obtained through a rate of exploitation of around 17–30% (equivalent to a fishing mortality of about 0.20–0.40). A spawning stock size of 500 000 tonnes should therefore serve as a “limit reference point” and a fishing mortality of about 0.20–0.40 should serve as a “target reference point” in the management of Northeast Arctic cod.The method described may be applied to other demersal stocks to help establish target and limit reference points in order to conduct a sound management.     

Law and fisheries reform: Legislative and policy developments in South African fisheries over the decade 1994–2004

Following the enactment of the Constitution in 1996, the South African government undertook a process of legal reform in the fishing sector. This led to the publication of a new fisheries policy endorsing equity and sustainability, as reflected in the Marine Living Resources Act. This paper examines efforts to implement the policy, particularly the objective of “transformation”, against the background of law reform in fisheries over the last decade. The discussion is located within the context of related domestic legal developments and current trends in international fisheries law. Methods for enhancing effective implementation of the new fisheries policy are highlighted.     

Ghost fishing in European waters: Impacts and management responses

In this paper we review levels of net loss, what happens to the gear once it has been lost, and the resulting levels of ‘ghost catches’ made in passive net fisheries in the EU. We also consider ghost catches resulting from lost gear in other types of fisheries, and the extent to which the value of ghost catches has been quantified. We consider why fishing gear is lost, and profile common management responses. We present a cost benefit model to assess the relative cost effectiveness of different management measures, and suggest that gear retrieval programmes may provide less value for money than other management responses.     

Participatory practices in fisheries across Europe: Making stakeholders more responsible

Drawing on an EU-funded project titled “Sharing responsibilities in fisheries management” this paper assesses the institutional landscape of fisheries management in a number of European countries, with a particular emphasis on stakeholder involvement in regulatory decision-making. What are their roles and responsibilities in the chain of governance? What are the specific characteristics of each country, and what is similar and what is different as compared with other sectors? Although there is a move towards devolvement and decentralisation in some European countries, there is quite an ambivalence regarding such reforms in other countries. These differences in stakeholder involvement are partly a result of institutional traditions within each country, but also a reflection of how management authorities struggle with the dilemmas pertaining to such reforms of participatory practices. Thus, we argue that even within a reformed fisheries management system that allows greater participation of stakeholder groups, there can hardly be one European model that fits all.     

Fisheries and coastal governance as a wicked problem

Inspired by Rittel and Webber [Dilemmas in a general theory of planning. Policy Sciences 1973;4:155–69], it is argued that fisheries and coastal governance is confronted with problems that are inherently “wicked.” Problems are wicked (as opposed to “tame”) when they are difficult to define and delineate from other and bigger problems and when they are not solved once and for all but tend to reappear. Wicked problems have no technical solution, it is not clear when they are solved, and they have no right or wrong solution that can be determined scientifically. Instead, for wicked problems governance must rely on the collective judgment of stakeholders involved in a process that is experiential, interactive and deliberative. In this paper, the wicked problem is identified as a governability issue, recognizing that there are limitations to how rational and effective fisheries and coastal governance can possibly be. The paper offers a framework which could help us locate the wicked problems within the fisheries and coastal governance system, as well as examine their governability.     

Generating the evidence for marine fisheries policy and management

The uptake of research in marine fisheries management and policy making depends on how effectively fisheries managers, researchers and scientific advisers communicate the needs for evidence, and the results and policy implications of research. The MariFish network of the major European funders of marine fisheries has therefore undertaken a study of current practices relating to communication of research needs and results, identifying strengths and weaknesses, and consequently how two-way communications, and hence the effectiveness of generating evidence for marine fisheries policy making and management, can be improved. Conclusions and recommendations for ‘good practice’ include the importance of building good relationships and trust between researchers and fisheries managers, the need for fisheries ministries to have sufficient inhouse scientific capacity to act as ‘intelligent customers’, and the key role of interpreters of research whose skills and career paths need to be carefully developed.     

Local permit ownership in Alaska salmon fisheries

Changes in ownership of limited entry permits by “local” residents of the region where a fishery occurs may have significant economic and social implications for fishery-dependent regions. This paper examines changes in local permit ownership in Alaska salmon fisheries, for which a long-term decline in rural local permit ownership is an important policy concern. Theoretically, permit markets allocate permits over time to the individuals who are willing to pay the most for them. Any factors that differentially affect what local and non-local residents are willing to pay for permits may affect the equilibrium share of permits held by local residents. For remote rural fisheries in particular, these may include differences between local and non-local residents with respect to access to and costs of financing permits and boats, costs of travel to the fishery, opportunity costs of participation in the fishery, and many other factors. As a fishery increases in profitability, differences between local and non-local residents in access to financing matter more while differences in costs of travel and opportunity costs matter less in the relative ranking of what local and non-local residents are willing to pay for permits. This tends to increase the share of non-local residents among buyers willing to pay the market price for permits, reducing the equilibrium share of permits held by local residents. This leads to a conflict between two important policy goals: increasing fishery profitability and maintaining rural local permit ownership. Consistent with predictions of this theory, the local share of permit ownership in Alaska salmon fisheries is negatively related to permit prices (an indicator of fishery profitability).     

The Cenomanian/Turonian oceanic anoxic event in the Razzak Field, north Western Desert, Egypt: Source rock potential and paleoenvironmental association

The Western Desert of Egypt is one of the world’s most prolific Jurassic and Cretaceous hydrocarbon provinces. It is one of many basins that experienced organic-rich sedimentation during the late Cenomanian/early Turonian referred to as oceanic anoxic event 2 (OAE2). The Razzak #7 oil well in the Razzak Field in the northern part of the Western Desert encountered the Upper Cretaceous Abu Roash Formation. This study analyzed 23 samples from the upper “G”, “F”, and lower “E” members of the Abu Roash Formation for palynomorphs, particulate organic matter, total organic carbon (TOC) and δ¹³C_org in order to identify the OAE2, determine hydrocarbon source rock potential, and interpret the depositional environment. The studied samples are generally poor in palynomorphs, but show a marked biofacies change between the lower “E” member and the rest of the studied samples. Palynofacies analysis (kerogen quality and quantity) indicates the presence of oil- and gas-prone materials (kerogen types I and II/III, respectively), and implies reducing marine paleoenvironmental conditions. Detailed carbon stable isotopic and organic carbon analyses indicate that fluctuations in the δ¹³C_org profile across the Abu Roash upper “G”, “F”, and lower “E” members correspond well with changes in TOC values. A positive δ¹³C_org excursion (∼2.01‰) believed to mark the short-term global OAE2 was identified within the organic-rich shaly limestone in the basal part of the Abu Roash “F” member. This excursion also coincides with the peak TOC measurement (24.61 wt.%) in the samples.     

The European vision for oceans and seas—Social and political dimensions of the Green Paper on Maritime Policy for the EU

The EU Green Paper on Maritime Policy is the European response to the new generation of ocean strategies based on science, technology and innovation aimed at new objectives, such as the strengthening of security and access to new resources. The European character of the proposal is found in the presence of social, cultural and historical elements, what is called the “European vision”. The viability of a European vision of the oceans and the idea of maritime empire as an extension of the current concept of empire within the general context of emerging ocean strategies are the elements offered up for debate on this European Union initiative.     

Not all fisheries will be collapsed in 2048

In a recently published paper, Worm et al. [Impacts of biodiversity loss on ocean ecosystem services. Science 2006;314:787–90.] project “the global collapse of all taxa currently fished” by 2048. Using their criteria and data, this paper shows that the number of not-collapsed fisheries actually increased over time to a plateau of about 5600 in 1985–2003. Furthermore, if trends are projected into the future, more than half of the world's fisheries would always be in a recovered state.     

A rejoinder to E. Pinkerton et al., the elephant in the room: The hidden costs of leasing individual transferable fishing quotas

The purpose of this rejoinder is to respond to and question the many assertions made by Pinkerton et al. in the recently published Marine Policy article entitled: “The elephant in the room: The hidden costs of leasing individual transferable fishing quotas”. Particular attention is paid to the assertion that 79% of the British Columbia Pacific halibut TAC is being leased out by “armchair fishermen”. The rejoinder also discusses how ITQs, when used with other fishery management tools, such as catch monitoring, creates incentives that align more closely the fishermen harvesting behaviour and practices with the objectives of the resource manager.     

Managing shark fishermen in southern Australia: A critique

This paper analyses effects of a shift from input to output controls in Australia's Southern Shark Fishery. We show that the use of two management tools—individual transferable quotas and a “partnership approach”—was flawed and argue that primary contributing causes were the unjustified expectation that quota management would serve as a ‘technical fix’ to a variety of presumed problems, the discounting of social effects and the extreme lack of stability in the organizational structure within which this fishery was situated.