Managing the Black Sea Anchovy Fishery with Nutrient Enrichment and a Biological Invader

Abstract

Many marine systems are subject to high nutrient loadings together with invasions by exotic species. Devising appropriate management responses is an increasing concern and one that has received relatively little attention from researchers. This paper considers the Black Sea anchovy fishery, which has benefited from the relaxation of a nutrient constraint, but has suffered from competition and predation by an invading comb-jelly (Mnemiopsis leidyi). We examine alternative hypotheses about the mechanism triggering outbreaks of the invader (sea temperatures versus nutrients), and the severity of these outbreaks, to see whether a constant escapement policy might be optimal for this fishery. If nutrient levels serve as the triggering mechanism, we argue a mixed blessing effect may be present, so that the effects of nutrient abatement for the anchovy fishery are uncertain. We specify our model empirically and show that a constant escapement policy would be viable under a scenario of reduced impacts from outbreaks of the invader and that nutrient abatement could be beneficial if nutrients trigger outbreaks.Mnemiopsis leidyi, nutrient abatement, stochastic bioeconomic model, biological invasion, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy, O3, O41, Q2, Q20, Q22,