Comments on a Note on Optimal Effort in the Maldivian Tuna Industry

Abstract

Reasons are given why spatial differences in travel costs for tuna boats fishing in the same region may be of little significance in the Maldives. Claims are made that the fishing ground concept is of limited value in the case of a migratory species such as tuna and that there are practical difficulties in implementing the Campbell and Lindner tax/subsidy scheme, which in practice could give rise to a deadweight social loss. Furthermore, in the absence of empirical quantification, Campbell and Lindner give no real guide to optimal fishing effort policy in the Maldives.Environmental Economics and Policy, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,