IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/enreec/v82y2022i4d10.1007_s10640-022-00693-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Welfare Effects of Changing Technological Efficency in Regulated Open-Access Fisheries

Author

Listed:
  • Martin Quaas

    (Leipzig University and German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig)

  • Anders Skonhoft

    (Norwegian University of Science and Technology)

Abstract

Small-scale fisheries often operate under conditions of regulated open access; that is, the fishery is subject to natural or regulatory constraints on fishing technology, including regulations of fishing gear and fishing practices, but typically there is no direct regulation of catches. We study how an increase in harvesting efficiency changes the different components of welfare—consumer surplus and producer surplus—in such a regulated open-access fishery, taking t the feedback of harvesting on stock dynamics, i.e. the dynamic common-pool resource externality into account. We find that both components of welfare change in the same direction. If, and only if, initial efficiency is low enough so that there is no maximum sustainable yield (MSY) overfishing, an improvement of harvesting efficiency increases welfare.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Quaas & Anders Skonhoft, 2022. "Welfare Effects of Changing Technological Efficency in Regulated Open-Access Fisheries," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 82(4), pages 869-888, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:enreec:v:82:y:2022:i:4:d:10.1007_s10640-022-00693-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s10640-022-00693-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10640-022-00693-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10640-022-00693-y?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. Joan Robinson, 1938. "The Classification of Inventions," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 5(2), pages 139-142.
    2. Copes, Parzival, 1972. "Factor Rents, Sole Ownership and the Optimum Level of Fisheries Exploitation," The Manchester School of Economic & Social Studies, University of Manchester, vol. 40(2), pages 145-163, June.
    3. Martin F. Quaas & Max T. Stoeven & Bernd Klauer & Thomas Petersen & Johannes Schiller, 2018. "Windows of Opportunity for Sustainable Fisheries Management: The Case of Eastern Baltic Cod," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 70(2), pages 323-341, June.
    4. Péreau, J.-C. & Doyen, L. & Little, L.R. & Thébaud, O., 2012. "The triple bottom line: Meeting ecological, economic and social goals with individual transferable quotas," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 63(3), pages 419-434.
    5. Martin F. Quaas & Till Requate, 2013. "Sushi or Fish Fingers? Seafood Diversity, Collapsing Fish Stocks, and Multispecies Fishery Management," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 115(2), pages 381-422, April.
    6. Kenneth Gillingham & David Rapson & Gernot Wagner, 2016. "The Rebound Effect and Energy Efficiency Policy," Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 10(1), pages 68-88.
    7. Homans, Frances R. & Wilen, James E., 1997. "A Model of Regulated Open Access Resource Use," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 1-21, January.
    8. World Bank, 2012. "Hidden Harvest : The Global Contribution of Capture Fisheries," World Bank Publications - Reports 11873, The World Bank Group.
    9. 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.
    10. Corbett A. Grainger & Christopher Costello, 2016. "Distributional Effects of the Transition to Property Rights for a Common-Pool Resource," Marine Resource Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 31(1), pages 1-26.
    11. Rögnvaldur Hannesson & Kjell G. Salvanes & Dale Squires, 2010. "Technological Change and the Tragedy of the Commons: The Lofoten Fishery over 130 Years," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 86(4), pages 746-765.
    12. Baland, Jean-Marie & Francois, Patrick, 2005. "Commons as insurance and the welfare impact of privatization," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(2-3), pages 211-231, February.
    13. 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.
    14. Max Stoeven, 2014. "Enjoying Catch and Fishing Effort: The Effort Effect in Recreational Fisheries," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 57(3), pages 393-404, March.
    15. Daniel V. Gordon & Rögnvaldur Hannesson, 2015. "The Norwegian Winter Herring Fishery: A Story of Technological Progress and Stock Collapse," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 91(2), pages 362-385.
    16. Robert S. Pindyck, 1984. "Uncertainty in the Theory of Renewable Resource Markets," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 51(2), pages 289-303.
    17. Whitmarsh, David, 1990. "Technological change and marine fisheries development," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 14(1), pages 15-22, January.
    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. Martin F. Quaas & Max T. Stoeven & Bernd Klauer & Thomas Petersen & Johannes Schiller, 2018. "Windows of Opportunity for Sustainable Fisheries Management: The Case of Eastern Baltic Cod," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 70(2), pages 323-341, June.
    2. Yamazaki, Satoshi & Jennings, Sarah & Quentin Grafton, R. & Kompas, Tom, 2015. "Are marine reserves and harvest control rules substitutes or complements for rebuilding fisheries?," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 1-18.
    3. Richter, Andries & Dakos, Vasilis, 2015. "Profit fluctuations signal eroding resilience of natural resources," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 12-21.
    4. Squires, Dale & Vestergaard, Niels, 2013. "Technical change in fisheries," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 286-292.
    5. repec:mse:cesdoc:13002r is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Tarui, Nori & Mason, Charles F. & Polasky, Stephen & Ellis, Greg, 2008. "Cooperation in the commons with unobservable actions," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 55(1), pages 37-51, January.
    7. Berck, Peter & Costello, Christopher, 2000. "Overharvesting the traditional fishery with a captured regulator," Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, UC Berkeley, Working Paper Series qt94t2p8qq, Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, UC Berkeley.
    8. Akihito Asano & Kelly Neill & Satoshi Yamazaki, 2016. "Decomposing Fishing Effort: Modelling The Sources Of Inefficiency In A Limited-Entry Fishery," Economics Discussion / Working Papers 16-23, The University of Western Australia, Department of Economics.
    9. Vallino, Elena & Aldahsev,Gani, 2013. "NGOs and participatory conservation in developing countries: why are there inefficiencies?," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis. Working Papers 201318, University of Turin.
    10. Pu-yan Nie & Peng Sun & Bill Z. Yang, 2014. "A Dynamic Study on Ecological Disaster, Government Regulation, and Renewable Resources," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 73(2), pages 410-442, April.
    11. Gardner Brown, 2000. "Renewable Natural Resource Management and Use Without Markets," Working Papers 0025, University of Washington, Department of Economics.
    12. Martinet, Vincent & Thebaud, Olivier & Doyen, Luc, 2007. "Defining viable recovery paths toward sustainable fisheries," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(2), pages 411-422, December.
    13. Robert N. Stavins, 2011. "The Problem of the Commons: Still Unsettled after 100 Years," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 101(1), pages 81-108, February.
    14. B. N. Obegi & I. Sarfo & G. N. Morara & P. Boera & E. Waithaka & A. Mutie, 2020. "Bio-economic modeling of fishing activities in Kenya: the case of Lake Naivasha Ramsar site," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 15-31, April.
    15. Eric Nævdal, 2022. "Productivity and Management of Renewable Resources: Why More Efficient Fishing Fleets Should Fish Less," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 81(3), pages 409-424, March.
    16. Homans, Frances R. & Wilen, James E., 2000. "Market Rent Dissipation In Regulated Open Access Fisheries," 2000 Annual meeting, July 30-August 2, Tampa, FL 21878, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    17. Sethi, Gautam & Costello, Christopher & Fisher, Anthony & Hanemann, Michael & Karp, Larry, 2005. "Fishery management under multiple uncertainty," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 300-318, September.
    18. Z. Y. Zhang & M. Sato, 2024. "Conjunctive surface water and groundwater management in a multiple user environment," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 26(4), pages 803-841, October.
    19. Manning, Dale T. & Uchida, Hirotsugu, 2014. "Are Two Rents Better than None? When Monopoly Harvester Co-ops are Preferred to a Rent Dissipated Resource Sector," 2014 Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2014, Minneapolis, Minnesota 171628, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    20. 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.
    21. Berck, Peter & Costello, Christopher, 2000. "Overharvesting the traditional fishery with a captured regulator," CUDARE Working Papers 43915, University of California, Berkeley, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Myopic exploitation; Fishing efficiency; Welfare; Maximum sustainable yield;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q22 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Fishery

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:kap:enreec:v:82:y:2022:i:4:d:10.1007_s10640-022-00693-y. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    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.