Managing artisanal fisheries with marine fishery reserves : an alternative to managing catch or effort

However, yields in many artisanal fisheries (primarily those near the shore and used by small-scale fishers employing primarily labor-intensive methods) have dropped dramatically because conventional methods of regulating fisheries restrict catch by limiting either the quantity or efficiency of fishing effort or by putting limits on catch. This paper proposes the use of marine fishery reserves as an alternative management strategy for artisanal fisheries. The appendix includes a simulation of a dynamic model of marine fishery reserves applicable to artisanal reef fisheries. In contrast to previous models, it is fully dynamic and provides information on both equilibrium conditions and the path to equilibrium. The model incorporates a stock recruitment relationship which accounts for changing fertility of the fish population. Results of the simulation suggest that marine reserves can sustain or increase yields for moderate to heavily fished reef fisheries but will probably not improve yields for lightly fished fisheries. (Author abstract, modified)