MSA – Catch Shares Economics
Eric Thunberg
Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Social
Sciences Branch,
NOAA Fisheries Office of Science and
Technology, Economic and Social Analysis
Divisions
Eric.Thunberg@NOAA.GOV
Overview
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NOAA Catch Share Policy (Draft)
MSA Provisions
Most Important Issues
Opportunity Cost
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NOAA Catch Share Policy
• Catch Shares are a tool
• Encourage consideration in fisheries where appropriate
• NOAA will support design, implementation and monitoring
of catch shares
• Design Features
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Specific management goals
Transferability
Periodic review
Distinctions among sectors (user groups)
Fishing community sustainability
Royalties
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MSA Requirements/Features
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Not a right or interest in any fish prior to harvest
Shall assist in rebuilding
If over-capacity, contribute to reducing capacity
Promote – safety, social and economic benefits
Include appeals process for initial allocations
Establish procedure to detect collusion
Allows allocations to communities
Allows allocations to regional fishery associations
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Allocation: “Shalls”
• Ensure fair and equitable initial allocations
• Consider
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Current/historical harvest
Employment in harvest and processing sectors
Investments in and dependence on the fishery
Current and historical participation by fishing
communities
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Allocation “Shalls”
• Include measures to assist where necessary and
appropriate
• Entry-level and small vessel owner-operators
• Captains and crew
• Fishing communities
• Set asides, Economic assistance in purchasing
• Excessive share limits
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Allocation “Considers”
• Basic cultural and social framework
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Small owner-operator
Fishing communities
Regional or port-specific landing requirements
Excessive geographic concentration or other
consolidation in harvesting or processing sectors
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Other Provisions
• Shall establish transferability consist with Council
objectives
• Consider auctions in initial allocations or other
program to collect royalties
• Shall develop program for cost recovery
• Permit issued for a period not more than 10 years
• will be renewed unless revoked
• LAPP Assisted Purchase Program
• Reserve 25% of fees collected under royalty/auction
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• Entry level or small vessel fishermen
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Most Important Issues
• Articulate goals/objectives
• Objectives need to be measureable/data informed
• Be up front about the tradeoffs among objectives
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Amendment 16 Goals/Objectives
• Fleet capacity commensurate with resource to achieve
goals of economic efficiency that encourages diversity
within the fishery
• Minimize adverse impacts on fishing communities and
shoreside infrastructure
• Maintain diverse groundfish fishery including gear types,
vessel size, geographic location, participation
• Develop biological, social, and economic performance
measures to assure accountability in achieving
management objectives
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The Shrinking Opportunity Set
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Summary Points
• Catch Shares a tool not a requirement
• Councils afforded considerable discretion in design
• MSA requires consideration of wide range of
economic and social concerns but few “actionable”
requirements
• Objectives, Objectives, Objectives
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Clear
Measurable/Data informed
Articulate tradeoffs
Be wary of shrinking opportunities
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