ECONOMIC IMPACT ANALYSIS OF THE IVORIAN SARDINELLA FISHERY

Abstract

A bioeconomic simulation model of the Ivorian sardinella fishery is developed to identify and quantify welfare effects stemming from resource exploitation controlled by a fishermen's monopoly. The biological and economic components are modeled to include multicohorts and multispecies, the demand facing the industrial sector, and a heterogeneous fishing fleet under exploitation conditions with and without cycles. A profit maximization scenario indicates that management of the fishery under the current fleet structure is not socially optimal. The analysis is extended to include the competition from an expanding artisanal sector of the fishery. Any changes in public policies leading to the expansion of the artisanal fishery would result in increases in consumer benefits from the fishery, while the benefits to the syndicate decrease.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,