IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ecolec/v160y2019icp156-167.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Fishing for nutrients – economic effects of fisheries management targeting eutrophication in the Baltic Sea

Author

Listed:
  • Nielsen, Rasmus
  • Hoff, Ayoe
  • Waldo, Staffan
  • Hammarlund, Cecilia
  • Virtanen, Jarno

Abstract

The Baltic Sea is one of the most eutrophied seas in the world, facing challenges with both hypoxia and algae blooms. In this study we analyse the effect of using different fishery policy instruments to reduce nutrient loads by removing fish biomass from the ecosystem. The study covers Danish, Finnish and Swedish pelagic fisheries. We distinguish between a private optimum maximising the net present value from fishing and a social optimum including the positive externality of removing nutrients. A dynamic bio-economic model, FishRent, is used to estimate the effect of three policy scenarios: Fisheries regulation using individual transferable quotas (ITQ); Economic compensation provided to fishers for reducing nutrients; and Environmental regulation maximising sustainable catches. The results show that the highest social welfare gain is achieved by maximising catch volumes while having a flexible system for quota trade within the fishing sector. The social welfare gain from the positive externality of the extra fish landed in this case outweighs the private loss of not fishing at the optimal individual level (maximum economic yield).

Suggested Citation

  • Nielsen, Rasmus & Hoff, Ayoe & Waldo, Staffan & Hammarlund, Cecilia & Virtanen, Jarno, 2019. "Fishing for nutrients – economic effects of fisheries management targeting eutrophication in the Baltic Sea," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 156-167.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:160:y:2019:i:c:p:156-167
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2019.02.013
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921800918308760
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2019.02.013?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ling Huang & Martin D. Smith, 2014. "The Dynamic Efficiency Costs of Common-Pool Resource Exploitation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 104(12), pages 4071-4103, December.
    2. Dale Squires & Yongil Jeon & R. Quentin Grafton & James Kirkley, 2010. "Controlling excess capacity in common-pool resource industries: the transition from input to output controls ," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 54(3), pages 361-377, July.
    3. Nielsen, Max & Ravensbeck, Lars & Nielsen, Rasmus, 2014. "Green growth in fisheries," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 43-52.
    4. Edward Barbier & Ivar Strand, 1998. "Valuing Mangrove-Fishery Linkages – A Case Study of Campeche, Mexico," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 12(2), pages 151-166, September.
    5. Nariné Udumyan & Dominique Ami & Pierre Cartigny, 2010. "Integrating habitat concerns into Gordon-Schaefer model," Working Papers halshs-00520328, HAL.
    6. Kailin Kroetz & James N. Sanchirico & Daniel K. Lew, 2015. "Efficiency Costs of Social Objectives in Tradable Permit Programs," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 2(3), pages 339-366.
    7. Staffan Waldo & Frank Jensen & Max Nielsen & Hans Ellefsen & Jónas Hallgrimsson & Cecilia Hammarlund & Øystein Hermansen & John Isaksen, 2016. "Regulating Multiple Externalities: The Case of Nordic Fisheries," Marine Resource Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 31(2), pages 233-257.
    8. Max Nielsen & Jos Smit & Jordi Guillen, 2009. "Market Integration of Fish in Europe," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(2), pages 367-385, June.
    9. Ribaudo, Marc & Savage, Jeffrey, 2014. "Controlling non-additional credits from nutrient management in water quality trading programs through eligibility baseline stringency," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 233-239.
    10. Jacobsen, Lars-Bo & Nielsen, Max & Nielsen, Rasmus, 2016. "Gains of integrating sector-wise pollution regulation: The case of nitrogen in Danish crop production and aquaculture," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 172-181.
    11. Duncan Knowler, 2002. "A Review of Selected Bioeconomic Models with Environmental Influences in Fisheries," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 4(2), pages 163-181, May.
    12. Holmlund, Cecilia M. & Hammer, Monica, 1999. "Ecosystem services generated by fish populations," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 253-268, May.
    13. Martin D. Smith & Frank Asche & Lori S. Bennear & Atle Oglend, 2014. "Spatial-dynamics of Hypoxia and Fisheries: The Case of Gulf of Mexico Brown Shrimp," Marine Resource Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 29(2), pages 111-131.
    14. Grafton, R Quentin & Squires, Dale & Fox, Kevin J, 2000. "Private Property and Economic Efficiency: A Study of a Common-Pool Resource," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 43(2), pages 679-713, October.
    15. Frank Asche & Daniel V. Gordon & Carsten L. Jensen, 2007. "Individual Vessel Quotas and Increased Fishing Pressure on Unregulated Species," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 83(1), pages 41-49.
    16. H. Scott Gordon, 1954. "The Economic Theory of a Common-Property Resource: The Fishery," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Chennat Gopalakrishnan (ed.), Classic Papers in Natural Resource Economics, chapter 9, pages 178-203, Palgrave Macmillan.
    17. Hoefnagel, Ellen & de Vos, Birgit & Buisman, Erik, 2015. "Quota swapping, relative stability, and transparency," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 111-119.
    18. Andersen, Jesper L. & Nielsen, Max & Lindebo, Erik, 2009. "Economic gains of liberalising access to fishing quotas within the European Union," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 497-503, May.
    19. Hans Frost & Peder Andersen & Ayoe Hoff, 2013. "Management of Complex Fisheries: Lessons Learned from a Simulation Model," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 61(2), pages 283-307, June.
    20. Squires, Dale & Clarke, Raymond & Chan, Valerie, 2014. "Subsidies, public goods, and external benefits in fisheries," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 222-227.
    21. H. Scott Gordon, 1954. "The Economic Theory of a Common-Property Resource: The Fishery," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 62(2), pages 124-124.
    22. Joshua K. Abbott & Alan C. Haynie & Matthew N. Reimer, 2015. "Hidden Flexibility: Institutions, Incentives, and the Margins of Selectivity in Fishing," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 91(1), pages 169-195.
    23. Jensen, Frank & Vestergaard, Niels, 2002. "Moral hazard problems in fisheries regulation: the case of illegal landings and discard," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(4), pages 281-299, November.
    24. Nielsen, Rasmus, 2012. "Introducing individual transferable quotas on nitrogen in Danish fresh water aquaculture: Production and profitability gains," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 83-90.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Anna M. Birkenbach & Andreea L. Cojocaru & Frank Asche & Atle G. Guttormsen & Martin D. Smith, 2020. "Seasonal Harvest Patterns in Multispecies Fisheries," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 75(3), pages 631-655, March.
    2. Zachary Porreca, 2021. "Assessing ocean temperature’s role in fishery production," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 237-256, October.
    3. Diekert , Florian & Lund , Kristen & Schweder, Tore, 2014. "From Open-Access to Individual Quotas: Disentangling the Effects of Policy Reform and Environmental Changes in the Norwegian Coastal Cod Fishery," Memorandum 07/2014, Oslo University, Department of Economics.
    4. Catherine J. Morrison Paul & Ronald G. Felthoven & Marcelo de O. Torres, 2010. "Productive performance in fisheries: modeling, measurement, and management," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 54(3), pages 343-360, July.
    5. Rafael Cuervo Sánchez & Jorge Higinio Maldonado & Mario E. Rueda, 2014. "Valoración de los servicios ecosistémicos asociados a la pesca provistos por las Áreas Marinas Protegidas en Colombia," Documentos CEDE 11000, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.
    6. Christian Elleby & Frank Jensen, 2018. "How Many Instruments Do We Really Need? A First-Best Optimal Solution to Multiple Objectives with Fisheries Regulation," IFRO Working Paper 2018/05, University of Copenhagen, Department of Food and Resource Economics.
    7. Libois, François, 2022. "Success and failure of communities managing natural resources: Static and dynamic inefficiencies," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    8. repec:ags:aaea22:335749 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Martin D. Smith & Larry B. Crowder, 2011. "Valuing Ecosystem Services with Fishery Rents: A Lumped-Parameter Approach to Hypoxia in the Neuse River Estuary," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 3(11), pages 1-39, November.
    10. Bulte, Erwin H., 2003. "Open access harvesting of wildlife: the poaching pit and conservation of endangered species," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 27-37, January.
    11. Gary D. Libecap, 2009. "The tragedy of the commons: property rights and markets as solutions to resource and environmental problems," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 53(1), pages 129-144, January.
    12. Fischer, Maria-Elisabeth & Irlenbusch, Bernd & Sadrieh, Abdolkarim, 2004. "An intergenerational common pool resource experiment," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 48(2), pages 811-836, September.
    13. Emmi Nieminen & Lone Grønbæk Kronbak & Marko Lindroos, 2016. "International Agreements in the Multispecies Baltic Sea Fisheries," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 65(1), pages 109-134, September.
    14. Carmona, Itsaso & Ansuategi, Alberto & Chamorro, José Manuel & Escapa, Marta & Gallastegui, María Carmen & Murillas, Arantza & Prellezo, Raúl, 2020. "Measuring the value of ecosystem-based fishery management using financial portfolio theory," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    15. Eisenack, K. & Welsch, H. & Kropp, J.P., 2006. "A qualitative dynamical modelling approach to capital accumulation in unregulated fisheries," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 30(12), pages 2613-2636, December.
    16. Basil Sharp & David Castilla-Espino & Juan Jose Garcia del Hoyo, 2004. "Efficiency in the New Zealand rock lobster fishery: A production frontier analysis," New Zealand Economic Papers, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(2), pages 207-218.
    17. Per Sandberg, 2006. "Variable unit costs in an output-regulated industry: The Fishery," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(9), pages 1007-1018.
    18. David M. McEvoy & Sylvia Brandt & Sven Anders, 2009. "The Effects of ITQ Management on Fishermen’s Welfare When the Processing Sector Is Imperfectly Competitive," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 85(3), pages 470-484.
    19. Gabriel Natividad, 2016. "Quotas, Productivity, and Prices: The Case of Anchovy Fishing," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(1), pages 220-257, March.
    20. Duncan Knowler, 2002. "A Review of Selected Bioeconomic Models with Environmental Influences in Fisheries," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 4(2), pages 163-181, May.
    21. Libecap, Gary D., 2007. "The Assignment of Property Rights on the Western Frontier: Lessons for Contemporary Environmental and Resource Policy," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 67(2), pages 257-291, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:160:y:2019:i:c:p:156-167. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ecolecon .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.