In the 1970s, herring stocks in the Northeast Atlantic were nearly fished to extinction. This collapse is usually attributed to technological advances. We investigate the empirical impact of technological shocks on herring stocks. We show evidence that the power block was the principal factor in...

When individual vessel quotas are used in fisheries management, quotas are set species by species, in most cases. Often, it is only the most important of the target species that are regulated by quota. There is a growing concern that the introduction of individual vessel quotas leads to...

Traditional fisheries management schemes generate incentives for vessels to maximize catch, resulting in rent dissipation and overcapacity. Individual vessel quota management schemes change the incentives to maximize profit and have the potential to generate resource rent and reduce capacity. An...

This paper considers optimum fleet capacity for fish stocks that vary randomly and are managed by separate states. Assigning a particular fleet to a particular stock will be less profitable than allowing fleets to move between stocks. Transfer of excess catch quotas between states improves...

We analyze the effect of technological change on labor and total factor productivity in the Lofoten fishery, using detailed data for 130 years. Our findings support the important role of natural resources in productivity and improvements in welfare in natural resource–based industries. The...

The relative efficiency of landing fees versus quota controls to achieve given escapement levels is examined. The criterion is profit per year over a given time horizon. The model employed is a discrete version of the logistic model where growth is influenced by a random variable. Simulations...

This paper reports the results of a more recent study of quota compliance in the U.K. fishery that was investigated in an earlier article in this journal (Hatcher et al. 2000). The study collected more detailed data on fishermen’s perceptions and experience of enforcement and sought to measure...

We test for optimal vessel size in the Norwegian fishing fleet using cross-section data for the period 1969-73. With the prevailing interest rate defined as the opportunity cost of capital, the Conrad-Unger conditions for static optimality in vessel size are rejected for each year. However,...

In industries where firms can adjust product mix in response to price changes, the process can be delayed by adjustment costs. An example is fishermen who change fishing grounds to target different species. If adjustment costs are sufficiently large, this may hamper the fishermen’s response so...