Perceptions and Preferences of Commercial Fishers in the Florida Keys for Alternative Management Frameworks

• Main Author: Pierce, Brett P
• Format: Others
• Published: FIU Digital Commons 2011
• Subjects: Dedicated access privileges; Florida Keys commercial fishery; Catch shares; MPA; Limited access privileges; Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
• Online Access: http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/537; http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1634&context=etd

The decline of the world’s fisheries, and the inability of traditional management frameworks to maintain them, has led managers to adopt new, alternative management frameworks. Alternative management frameworks include marine protected areas (MPA) and dedicated access privileges (DAP). The use of such frameworks has often been shown to be quite unpopular, especially with commercial fishers. In this thesis, commercial fishers’ preference for alternative management frameworks is examined in the context of the unique multispecies fisheries of the Florida Keys. By surveying commercial fishers, it was found that the size of operation plays no role in affecting fisher perception of dedicated access privileges. Furthermore, fishers who are organized are less likely to support dedicated access privilege frameworks. Finally, the fishing industry does not support the implementation of dedicated access privileges in the Florida Keys. These findings can provide inputs for managers in developing effective management plans in the region.