Rebuilding fisheries: Challenges for fisheries managers

摘要

To set the stage for the workshop, this chapter provides an overview of the challenges and opportunities related to economic and policy issues for managing domestic and international fisheries, rebuilding depressed stocks, and achieving sustainability. The nature and characteristics of domestic and international fisheries are reviewed, with emphasis on the scientific, social, economic, and policy issues associated with managing and effecting needed management approaches and policy changes to achievesustainability. Specifically, factors related to why it is difficult to achieve change are examined with examples drawn from domestic and international situations. Conflicts between competing interest groups and organizations, economic factors related tovested interests, balancing short term interests with longer term opportunities and effecting policy change in such situations with political implications, form the basis of such difficulties in domestic fisheries management. In the international context, treaty arrangements, protocols, international agreements, conservation and sustainability on the high seas, and related laws and governance add complexity. Examples of successful rebuilding approaches, factors leading to such outcomes, tools and strategies for achieving rebuilding, and potential opportunities are summarized with emphasis on the importance of managing the transition to rebuilding. Of particular importance in the future, and where fisheries economists can play a key role, will be making a successful case for the economic advantages of fisheries renewal, rebuilding approaches, and sustainability. Given the looming global food crisis related to world population trends, the importance of fisheries resources as a food source, and the needto address sustainability in the face of escalating demand and competition, will require a major effort in achieving success. Policy change, international governance, achieving popular support for fisheries rebuilding and sustainability as a foundationfor domestic and international fisheries management will be essential elements in addressing the social and political challenges associated with fisheries rebuilding.