Assessing the Impact of Marine Protected Areas on Recreational Uses of a Marine Ecosystem: The Case of Scuba Diving

This paper studies the consequences of creating a marine protected area (MPA) on a recreational non-extractive use of the ecosystem (scuba diving), and draws a parallel with the impact of MPAs on commercial fishing. The first part of the paper presents some preliminary results of a field survey of scuba divers frequenting three French MPAs, in the Mediterranean and in the Pacific Ocean. The aim of this survey was to characterize the behaviour of divers, and to provide information for an assessment of the economic value of MPAs. On the basis of these preliminary results, the second part of the paper proposes a simple illustrative model of demand for diving, taking into account both environmental and congestion effects of MPAs

Sea-ranching in the bay of Brest (France): Technical change and institutional adaptation of a scallop fishery facing environmental hazards

This paper analyses the management strategy that was adopted by a local fishers organisation in order to promote a restocking/sea-ranching program concerning a small-scale shellfish fishery, the scallop fishery of the bay of Brest (France). Two main topics are addressed: space management and access regulation, in a context dominated by a cost-recovery constraint. First, the paper describes the program and its results, and then it presents the system that was developed for its management. Finally, major limits of this system and possible evolutions are discussed. The main conclusion is that the local fishers organisation in charge of the program has proven ability to develop innovative and pragmatic management solutions in a rather unfavourable institutional context. However, though solutions are uncompleted and fragile, due to new environmental hazards.Extended abstract

Marine Protected Areas and Fishers' Involvement: the Case of the Iroise Sea, Western Brittany, France

Access restrictions to traditionally-used resources, that are associated with the establishment of marine protected areas (MPA), often generate conflicts. Public participation in decision-making process has been widely recognised as a critical factor in legitimising conservation policy and enhancing its success. This paper discusses fishers involvement issues in the context of the Iroise Sea where the first marine national park in France should be implemented. The aim is to understand why it is crucial for managers to involve local communities, and especially fishers. It also analyses the fishers motivations to get involved or not in such conservation strategy. In the Iroise case-study, fishers and their representatives have generally adopted a rather positive attitude toward the project. They claim for deeper participation in the decision-making process and in future management institutions of the park. The analysis suggests that their goal is to get exclusive territorial rights, with local governance to implement sustainable fisheries.Keywords: Fisheries Economics, Asian Fisheries and Aquaculture, participation, fishers involvement, decision-making process, Iroise Sea (France), Marine protected areasKeywords: Fisheries Economics, Asian Fisheries and Aquaculture, participation, fishers involvement, decision-making process, Iroise Sea (France), Marine protected area

French Fishers' Perceptions on Fisheries Management, in the North Sea Cod Case

The Working Group on Fisheries Systems of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has identified the production and the use of knowledge in policy and management decision-making as one of the critical processes to be analyzed in the evaluation of the performance of fisheries systems. Many fishers believe that their views and knowledge are not sufficiently taken into account by managers and scientists. This lack of involvement undermines the support of the conservation measures adopted (legitimacy and compliance), and so their efficiency. Based on semi-structured interviews with French fishers targeting cod (Gadus morhua) in the North Sea, this paper analyses their perceptions on the European Union recovery plan, its legitimacy and efficiency. It also investigates their opinions concerning the role of scientific expertise and politics in forming decisions. This paper is part of the research developed by the PKFM ("Policy and Knowledge in fisheries management" - Q5RS-2002-01782) project, which has been funded under the European Commission 5th Framework Programme.KEYWORDS: fishers perceptions, North Sea, decision-making process, Fisheries management, Fisheries Management for Coastal Fisheries, cod, Fisheries economics, knowledge, common fisheries policy, recovery pla

French fish markets at the time of confinement in 2020. What effects on first-sale markets for the seafood products ?

The question raised concerns the capacity of the fish markets to adapt to the fluctuations in supply and fish prices caused by the first confinement and amplified by the second in 2020. The national turnover of the first markets declined by 18 % compared to the average of the previous three years. The method of breaking down turnover shows that the value of production reflects a strategy on quantity and more rarely a price policy. Surveys of fish market managers provide a complementary even different understanding to that of the sales statistics. The discussion of the results raises two major questions. The first deals with the informational bias when the analysis is limited to a quantitative approach to production statistics. The second is the question of the potential threat of direct sales to fish markets.La question posée porte sur la capacité d’adaptation des halles à marée face aux fluctuations de l’offre et des cours du poisson dans le contexte des confinements en 2020. Le chiffre d’affaires national des premiers marchés a décliné de 18 % par rapport à la moyenne des trois années précédentes. La méthode de décomposition du chiffre d’affaires démontre que la valeur des productions traduit une stratégie de quantité et plus rarement une action sur les prix. Des enquêtes auprès des responsables de halles à marée apportent une lecture complémentaire, voire différente de celle des statistiques de vente. La discussion des résultats soulève d’une part le risque de biais informationnel pour une analyse limitée à une approche quantitative, d’autre part la menace potentielle des ventes directes sur les halles à marée

Les halles à marée françaises au temps du confinement en 2020: quels effets sur les marchés de première vente du poisson ?

The fish markets, which are present all along the coast of Metropolitan France, are the primary markets for the seafood products landed by the fishing fleets. The question raised concerns the capacity of the fish markets to adapt to the fluctuations in supply and fish prices caused by the first confinement and amplified by the second in 2020. On a domestic scale, the turnover of the first markets declined by 18% compared to the average of the previous three years. The method of breaking down turnover shows that the value of production reflects a strategy on quantity and more rarely a price policy. Surveys of fish market managers provide a complementary understanding to that of the sales statistics, sometimes even a different reading. The discussion of the results raises two major questions. The first deals with the informational bias when the analysis is limited to a quantitative approach to production statistics. The second is the question of the potential threat of direct sales to fish markets. This is an opportunity for the executives of the fish market to claim the guarantees they offer in terms of goods traceability.Les halles à marée, présentes sur tout le littoral métropolitain, sont les premiers marchés pour les produits de la mer débarqués par les flottilles de pêche. La question posée porte sur la capacité d’adaptation des halles à marée face aux fluctuations de l’offre et des cours du poisson provoquées par le premier confinement et amplifiées par le second en 2020. A l’échelle nationale, le chiffre d’affaires des premiers marchés a décliné de 18% par rapport à la moyenne des trois années précédentes. La méthode de décomposition du chiffre d’affaires démontre que la valeur des productions traduit une stratégie de quantité et plus rarement une action sur les prix. Des enquêtes auprès des responsables de halles à marée apportent une lecture complémentaire à celle des statistiques de vente, parfois même une lecture différente. La discussion des résultats soulève deux questions majeures. La première traite du biais informationnel quand on limite l’analyse à une approche quantitative des statistiques de production. La seconde pose la question de la menace potentielle des ventes directes sur les halles à marée. C’est l’occasion pour les responsables de criée de rappeler les garanties qu’ils offrent en termes de traçabilité des produits

Fish, fishers, seals and tourists: Economic consequences of creating a marine reserve in a multi-species, multi-activity context

This paper investigates some economic consequences of creating a marine reserve on both fishing and ecotourism, when the range of controllability of fishing effort is limited and the impact of the reserve on ecosystem is considered. The issue is illustrated by the example of creating a no-take zone in part of a region where fishing is managed through a limited entry license system, and which is inhabited by two interacting stocks: a stock of prey (fish) and a stock of predators (seals). While the former is targeted by commercial fishing, the latter is not subject to harvest but is a potential basis for a commercial non-extractive activity (seal watching). Analysis is conducted with the help of a bioeconomic model combining the features of marine reserve modeling and of multispecies modeling. Following a description of the model, results of several simulation runs are presented. These show that creating a marine reserve has more complex economic implications than predicted in studies focused exclusively on one stock and/or commercial fisheries. More specifically, the model shows that the dynamics of the two interacting stocks reduces the benefits of the no-take zone for the fishing industry, while it makes the creation of this zone provide an opportunity for the development of ecotourism. Due to this dynamics, the model suggests that the optimal size of the reserve is larger when ecotourism is taken into account along with fishing activities

Standardised questionnaire for recreational fishers’ interviews (PAMPA project)

Final version of the questionnaire for recreational fishers used for the interviews conducted during the PAMPA project. Interviews were conducted at the following MPAs partners of the project : New Caledonia (Noumea Lagoon), Réunion Marine Reserve, Banyuls Marine Reserve, Côte Bleue Marine Park and Cap Roux fishing closure.Version finale du questionnaire sur la pêche récréative pour les enquêtes réalisées dans le projet PAMPA. Ce questionnaire a été administré sur l’ensemble des sites du projet PAMPA en mesure de réaliser ces enquêtes sur la pêche récréative (Nouvelle-Calédonie, Réunion, Banyuls, Côte Bleue et Cap Roux).