TY - JOUR
T1 - Site closure management strategies and the responsiveness of conservation outcomes in recreational fishing
AU - Gao, Lei
AU - Hailu, Atakelty
PY - 2018/2/1
Y1 - 2018/2/1
N2 - We develop and use an empirically based model, which integrates fishing behaviour and a coral reef system, to evaluate outcomes from site closure strategies to manage the effects of recreational fishing. The model is designed to estimate management effects in complex settings with two-way feedback effects (between fishing and ecosystem dynamics) as well as spillover effects where the closure of a site (or sites) leads to the redistribution of fishing effort. An iconic coral reef system is used as a case study. The results demonstrate that some site closure strategies provide little incremental benefits over less stringent approaches. They also show that some strategies targeting more sites are actually inferior to more limited strategies, demonstrating that, in the analysis of complex problems involving feedback effects and substitutions, there is little substitute for the use of empirically based and sound modelling as the basis for informed conservation decision making and stakeholder consultation. These findings have direct relevance not only for policies aimed at improving recreational fishing management but also for securing the supply of marine ecosystem services.
AB - We develop and use an empirically based model, which integrates fishing behaviour and a coral reef system, to evaluate outcomes from site closure strategies to manage the effects of recreational fishing. The model is designed to estimate management effects in complex settings with two-way feedback effects (between fishing and ecosystem dynamics) as well as spillover effects where the closure of a site (or sites) leads to the redistribution of fishing effort. An iconic coral reef system is used as a case study. The results demonstrate that some site closure strategies provide little incremental benefits over less stringent approaches. They also show that some strategies targeting more sites are actually inferior to more limited strategies, demonstrating that, in the analysis of complex problems involving feedback effects and substitutions, there is little substitute for the use of empirically based and sound modelling as the basis for informed conservation decision making and stakeholder consultation. These findings have direct relevance not only for policies aimed at improving recreational fishing management but also for securing the supply of marine ecosystem services.
KW - Agent-based models
KW - Econometric models
KW - Fishery area closure
KW - Integrated ecological-economic modelling
KW - Management strategy evaluation
KW - Recreational fisheries management
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85034029665&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.11.003
DO - 10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.11.003
M3 - Article
C2 - 29149641
AN - SCOPUS:85034029665
SN - 0301-4797
VL - 207
SP - 10
EP - 22
JO - Journal of Environmental Management
JF - Journal of Environmental Management
ER -