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A bio-economic model for the Mediterranean fisheries

Objective

The aim of the proposal is the building of a bioeconomic model for the optimal management of fishing effort in some regions of the Mediterranean area. The model, which includes an optimization and simulation analysis, is intended as a management tool for public administrations involved in fisheries regulation and management. It is specifically built for multispecies and multigear fisheries such as those existing in the Mediterranean fishing grounds. The research will end up with different possible scenarios each showing a different option for policy makers. Each option will consider social, biological, and structural constraints. Finally, it will propose solutions which will help in harmonizing different policies and different fishing effort distributions in relation to the level of resources exploitation. The main objectives of the research are to:
limit overexploitation of biological resources and overcapitalization of fleet;
rationalize human, financial, and capital resources employed;
increase vessels' economic yields and added value of the fisheries;
find alternative policy solutions considering social, economic and biological implications, while harmonizing regional fishing policies;
and provide a management tool in support of public administration.
The research involves the development of a bioeconomic model for the optimal management of fishing effort in some regions of the Mediterranean area. The model, which includes both optimization and simulation analysis, is intended as a management tool for public administration involved in fisheries management.

Extensive tests have been carried out in order to compare the provisional capabilities of 3 different catch effort models. 2 are based on exponential logistic models and one on age structure. The results of a nonlinear regression analysis show that the 3 models can estimate catch for a high number of species with global precision quite satisfactory for management purposes.

The capabilities of the biological model have been successfully verified providing a tool for estimating biological parameters often unknown and for overcoming possible lack in the available catch and effort data.

A methodology able to estimate parameter significance has been tested and the occurrence of cases characterized by a good level of statistical significance has been verified. Some problems that can limit the complete application of this procedure have also been identified.

The analysis of the available catch and effort data for Western Mediterranean fisheries has been completed, and homogeneous sets of data on which the bioeconomic model will be applied have been selected.

The results of the optimization analysis, have shown that relevant improvements can be obtained by optimal management techniques, and that it is possible to adopt realistic strategies for the reduction and redistribution of the fishing effort, able to improve economic outcome and to avoid resource depauperation.
The research will make use of nonlinear programming tools, with the help of the conjugate gradient method or other more advanced mathematical tools, whose objective function will contain:
an economic variable relating sales and costs;
a biological variable relating catch, effort and exploitation levels;
and an inertia variable relating effort distribution to social and economic constraints.

The parameters necessary for the building of the model will be estimated through the more advanced statistical techniques, either using the data collected or other information already existing.

Topic(s)

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Call for proposal

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Funding Scheme

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Coordinator

Istituto Ricerche Economiche per la Pesca e l'Acquacoltura
EU contribution
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Address
Via Benedetto Croce 35
84100 Salerno
Italy

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Total cost
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