REPORT OF THE EXPERT CONSULTATION ON THE REGULATION OF FISHING EFFORT (FISHING MORTALITY)

FAO Fisheries Report No. 289

FIPP/FIRM/R289(En)

Rome, 17–26 January 1983

A Preparatory Meeting for the FAO World Conference
on Fisheries Management and Development

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M-43
ISBN 92-5-101394-2

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PREPARATION OF THIS DOCUMENT

This is the report of the Expert Consultation on the Regulation of Fishing Effort (Fishing Mortality), one of the preparatory meetings for the World Conference on Fisheries Development and Management, as approved by the participants at the conclusion of the meeting in Rome, 17–26 January 1983. A more extensive study of the problems of controlling fishing effort, based on the written contribution to the Consultation, and the discussions during the meeting, is being prepared by Drs. Beddington and Rettig, and will be issued as a Fisheries Technical Paper. A selection of the papers submitted to the Consultation will be issued as a supplement to this Report.

ABSTRACT

The problems of controlling fishing effort are reviewed. Any method should satisfy certain criteria - maintaining the productivity of the resource, economic performance, and equity (or social needs). The methods of achieving these objectives are reviewed; they include catch limits, direct control of fleet capacity (e.g., licence limitation), indirect measures (mesh size, closed areas), financial measures, and property rights. The advantages and disadvantages of each approach are discussed in the light of the established criteria. There is no simple single method. Management of most fisheries will require a mix of several approaches and cannot be separated from development.

Distribution:	For bibliographic purposes this document should be cited as follows:
FAO Fisheries Department FAO Regional Officers Directors of Fisheries Selector SM	FAO, 1983 Report of the Expert Consultation on the regulation of fishing effort (fishing mortality). Rome, 17–26 January 1983. A preparatory meeting for the FAO World Conference on fisheries management and development. FAO Fish.Rep., (289):34p.

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
Rome © FAO 1983

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OPENING OF THE MEETING

CRITERIA FOR REGULATION

TECHNIQUES OF REGULATING FISHING EFFORT

Regulation by Catch Limits

Alternative approaches to effort regulation and some special problems

Gear selectivity/mesh regulations

Responses of fisheries

Regulation of effort by vessel licences/gear control, fishermen licensing

Conservation of the resource

Economic efficiency

Equity

Political and administrative feasibility