Investigators
FERU, UBC Fisheries Centre
Ussif Rashid Sumaila (Co-applicant)
Gakushi Ishimura
University of Alaska Anchorage
Matthew D. Berman (Principal Investigator)
Marine Mammal Research Unit, UBC Fisheries Centre
Andrew Trites (Co-applicant)
Edward Gregr
Research Project Description
Background
Marine habitat closures for fisheries are widely used for protecting or rebuilding marine bio-resources as well as endangered species. Decisions about such closures require spatial information of the potential value of fisheries. This study develops a method and estimates the spatial and temporal distribution of the economic value of groundfish fisheries in U.S. Alaskan waters to quantify the cost of Steller Sea Lion (SSL) critical habitat closures.
Objectives
This research will develop and apply methods for estimating the cost to the North Pacific groundfish fisheries of current SSL critical habitat closures by major fishery and gear group with detailed temporal and spatial scales relevant to management decisions.
Method
The method extends econometric models of discrete spatial choice (random utility models) in fisheries to incorporate detailed and flexible geographic scales by economic variables of fisheries and marine environmental variables.
Funding Sources
North Pacific Fisheries Council
North Pacific Universities Marine Mammal Research Consortium
Last Updated: March 2006.