A Review of Regional Economic Models for Fisheries Management in the U.S.

In 1986, Andrews and Rossi reviewed input-output (IO)studies of U.S. fisheries. Since then, many more fisheries studies have appeared using IO and other types of regional economic models, such as Fishery Economic Assessment Models, Social Accounting Matrices, and Computable General Equilibrium models. However, to our knowledge no updated summary of these studies or models has appeared since 1986. This paper attempts to fill this gap by briefly reviewing the types of regional economic models that have been applied to fisheries, reviewing studies using these models that have been conducted for U.S. fisheries, and identifying data and modeling issues associated with regional economic analysis of fisheries in the U.S. The authors conclude that although economic impact analysis of fisheries policy is required under federal law, development of more representative regional economic models for this purpose is not likely to be forthcoming without increased information obtained through some type of comprehensive data collection program.