Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Economic Impacts of Changes in Fish Population Dynamics: The Role of the Fishermen’s Harvesting Strategies

  • Published:
Environmental Modeling & Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Using a bioeconomic model of the cod (Gadus morhua) and capelin (Mallotus villosus) fisheries of the Barents Sea, this study assesses the role of the fishermen’s behavior in reducing or intensifying the effects on the stocks caused by altered population dynamics. The analysis focuses on the economic development of the fisheries employing a coupled stock size–hydrography-based fishing strategy, which attempts to maximize returns from fishing over a given number of fishing periods. Results show that if the fishing strategy is based on a short optimization period of only two fishing periods, changes in population dynamics have a direct influence on the returns from fishing due to the strong pressure on the stocks applied by the fisheries. If the strategy is based on a longer optimization period, fishing activities may be deferred to allow for stock regrowth, which improves the economic performance of the fisheries. However, in that case, the relationship between population dynamics and fishing activities becomes less clear, as even a reduction of the carrying capacities of the two species allows for an increase in the amount of fish landed without causing a stock collapse due to an increased efficiency of fleet utilization. The simulations indicate that management considerations and the time horizon of the fishing strategy dominate the influence of altered population dynamics on the development of the stocks considered in the model.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Beverton, R. J., & Holt, S. J. (1954). On the dynamics of exploited fish populations. London: Chapman & Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Chaboud, C. (1995). Risques et incertitudes dans les pêches: le point de vue de l’économiste. In F. Laloé, H. Rey, & J. L. Durand (Eds.), Questions sur la dynamique de l’exploitation halieutique (pp. 263–295). Paris: ORSTOM.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Clark, C. W. (1990). Mathematical bioeconomics: the optimal management of renewable resources (2nd ed.). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Eide, A., & Heen, K. (2002). Economic impacts of global warming—a study of the fishing industry in North Norway. Fisheries Research, 56, 261–274.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Fiskeridirektoratet (Eds.) (2001). Regulering av fisket etter lodde i Barentshavet i 2002. (Oslo: Fiskeridirektoratet SAK 22/01) (in Norwegian)

  6. Frederick, S. (2005). Valuing future life and future lives: a framework for understanding discounting. Journal of Economic Psychology, 27, 667–680.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Hannesson, R. (2005). The Development of Productivity in the Norwegian Fisheries. (Bergen: Institute for Research in Economics and Business Administration, Working Paper No. 24/05)

  8. Hannesson, R. (2006). Sharing the Northeast Arctic Cod: possible effects of climate change. Natural Resource Modeling, 19, 633–654.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Hannesson, R. (2007). Geographical distribution of fish catches and temperature variations in the northeast Atlantic since 1945. Marine Policy, 31, 32–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). (2003a). Report of the Arctic Fisheries Working Group, San Sebastian, 2003. Copenhagen: ICES Report CM 2003/ACFM:22.

    Google Scholar 

  11. International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). (2003b). Report of the Northern Pelagic and Blue Whiting Fisheries Working Group, Copenhagen, 2003. Copenhagen: ICES Report CM 2003/ACFM:23.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Jennings, S., & Kaiser, M. J. (1998). The effects of fishing on marine ecosystems. In H. S. Blaxter, A. J. Southward, & P. A. Tyler (Eds.), Advances in marine biology (Vol. 34, pp. 201–352). San Diego: Academic.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Johnston, R. J., & Sutinen, J. G. (1996). Uncertain biomass shifts and collapse: implications for harvest policy in the fishery. Land Economics, 72, 500–518.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Kuhlbrodt, T., Rahmstorf, S., Zickfeld, K., Vikebø, F. B., Sundby, S., Hofmann, M., et al. (2009). An integrated assessment of changes in the thermohaline circulation. Climatic Change, 96, 489–537.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Lane, D. E. (1988). Investment decision making by fishermen. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science, 45, 782–796.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Link, P. M., & Tol, R. S. J. (2006). Economic impacts of changes in population dynamics of fish on the fisheries in the Barents Sea. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 63, 611–625.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Link, P. M., & Tol, R. S. J. (2009). Economic impacts on key Barents Sea fisheries arising from changes in the strength of the Atlantic thermohaline circulation. Global Environmental Change, 19, 422–433.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Magnússon, K. G., & Pálsson, Ó. K. (1991). Predator-prey interactions of cod and capelin in Icelandic waters. ICES Marine Science Symposia, 193, 153–170.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Moxnes, E. (1992). Multispecies management under uncertainty. Bergen: Stiftelsen for samfunns-og nærlingslivsforskning.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Nilssen, E. M., Pedersen, T., Hopkins, C. C. E., Thyholt, K., & Pope, J. G. (1994). Recruitment variability and growth of Northeast Arctic cod: influence of physical environment, demography, and predator-prey energetics. ICES Marine Science Symposia, 198, 449–470.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Ottersen, G., Loeng, H., & Raknes, A. (1994). Influence of temperature variability on recruitment of cod in the Barents Sea. ICES Marine Science Symposia, 198, 471–481.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Planque, B., & Frédou, T. (1999). Temperature and the recruitment of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 56, 2069–2077.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Robinson, C., & Pascoe, S. (1997). Fisher behaviour: exploring the validity of the profit maximizing assumption. Portsmouth: CEMARE Research paper R110.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Salas, S., & Gaertner, D. (2004). The behavioural dynamics of fishers: management implications. Fish and Fisheries, 5, 153–167.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Skjoldal, H. R., Gjøsæter, H., & Loeng, H. (1992). The Barents Sea ecosystem in the 1980s: ocean climate, plankton, and capelin growth. ICES Marine Science Symposia, 195, 278–290.

  26. Statistisk Sentralbyrå (Eds.) (1980–2004). Norges Offisielle Statistikk, Fiskeristatistikk. (Oslo: Statistisk Sentralbyrå), multiple volumes.

  27. Steinshamn, S. I. (1998). Implications of harvesting strategies on population and profitability in fisheries. Marine Resource Economics, 13, 23–36.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Stenevik, E. K., & Sundby, S. (2007). Impacts of climate change on commercial fish stocks in Norwegian waters. Marine Policy, 31, 19–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Sumaila, U. R. (1997). Strategic dynamic interaction: the case of Barents sea fisheries. Marine Resource Economics, 12, 77–94.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Sumaila, U. R., & Walters, C. (2005). Intergenerational discounting: a new intuitive approach. Ecological Economics, 52, 135–142.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Vellinga, M., & Wood, R. A. (2002). Global climatic impacts of a collapse of the Atlantic thermohaline circulation. Climatic Change, 54, 251–267.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Vikebø, F. B., Sundby, S., Ådlandsvik, B., & Fiksen, Ø. (2005). The combined effect of transport and temperature on distribution and growth of larvae and pelagic juveniles of Arcto-Norwegian cod. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 62, 1375–1386.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study is part of the research project INTEGRATION to assess the impacts of a possible shutdown of the thermohaline circulation which is funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research (project no. 01 LD 0016).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Group Climate Change and Security, KlimaCampus Hamburg, University of Hamburg, Bundesstrasse 53 #018, 20146, Hamburg, Germany

    Peter Michael Link

  2. Research Unit Sustainability and Global Change, Center for Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Hamburg, Bundesstrasse 55, Pavilion, 20146, Hamburg, Germany

    Peter Michael Link & Uwe A. Schneider

  3. International Max Planck Research School on Earth System Modelling, Hamburg, Germany

    Peter Michael Link

  4. International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg, Austria

    Uwe A. Schneider

  5. Institute for Environmental Studies, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Richard S. J. Tol

  6. Engineering and Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Richard S. J. Tol

  7. Economic and Social Research Institute, Whitaker Square, Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Dublin 2, Ireland

    Richard S. J. Tol

Authors
  1. Uwe A. Schneider
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Richard S. J. Tol
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Peter Michael Link.

Appendix A

Appendix A

Table 8.

Table 8 List of symbols used in the model
Full size table

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Link, P.M., Schneider, U.A. & Tol, R.S.J. Economic Impacts of Changes in Fish Population Dynamics: The Role of the Fishermen’s Harvesting Strategies. Environ Model Assess 16, 413–429 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10666-011-9267-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10666-011-9267-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation