A new study has discovered that a model optimizing Japanese catch levels for profitability could see a 3.5-fold increase in annual profits and a 30 percent increase in biomass.
The new study – “Alternative outcomes under different fisheries management policies: A bioeconomic analysis of Japanese fisheries” –will appear in the journal Marine Policy (October 2019, Article 103646) and compares modeled outcomes under different fishery management policies. The study is the first of its kind apply profit modeling to Japanese fisheries, and compares the model with a simply maximum sustainable yield (MSY) model.
Most species in Japan have been managed through a total allowable effort (TAE) approach that limits seasons and gear. Eight species have been managed through a total allowable catch (TAC) approach that puts a cap on the amount of fish landed. Recent reforms in the Japanese fishery management system will see more species subject to TAC. The question then arises – how should the TAC be determined?..