Impacts to Job-Quality through “Absentee” Catch-Share Ownership in West Coast Groundfish Fisheries.
Presentation Abstract
Application of ecosystem-based fisheries management principles requires understanding of how policy tools, like ITQ or catch-share systems, affect human components of social ecological systems (SES). Human well-being is a domain of particular interest related to U.S and Canadian Pacific Coast commercial groundfish fisheries where in recent years ITQ systems have seen notable increase in implementation. Job-satisfaction is identified as a pivotal factor affecting well-being, relating to individual attributes of mental health and longevity,and social problems. Changes in fishery policy, like catch-share systems, can alter season length, technological capacity, employment period, which in turn may impact job-satisfaction of those employed within the fishery. One area of interest for evaluating job-quality relates to the pattern of “absentee ownership” wherein the owner catch-share quota, does not actively participate in the fishery beyond leasing of quota to vessels. To address this topic, we offer preliminary findings from semi-structured interviews and social surveys conducted with participating fishers in the federally managed U.S. West Coast Groundfish fishery. Through collaboration with the NWFSC Human Dimensions Pacific Coast Groundfish Social Survey, Washington and Oregon fishing communities were sampled and asked to provide feedback on how effects of “absentee ownership” were perceived to impact job-quality. Perceived benefits and costs of the practice to participating fishers are investigated. Additionally, underlying social factors contributing to the cause of “absentee” ownership are also explored, i.e. patterns of decisions that lead to situations where vessels operate with quota owner not on-board. The goal of this work is to provide insight into factors impacting human well-being in Pacific Coast, and Salish Sea fisheries and the future development of appropriate indicators useful to evaluate social impacts of catch-share based management strategies.
Session Title
Integrating Social Science into Ecosystem-Based Management
Conference Track
People
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2016 : Vancouver, B.C.)
Document Type
Event
Start Date
2016 12:00 AM
End Date
2016 12:00 AM
Location
2016SSEC
Type of Presentation
Oral
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Fisheries--Employees--Job satisfacation--Northwest, Pacific; Fishery management--Northwest, Pacific--Evaluation; Employee attitude surveys--Northwest, Pacific--Evaluation
Geographic Coverage
Northwest, Pacific; Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Impacts to Job-Quality through “Absentee” Catch-Share Ownership in West Coast Groundfish Fisheries.
2016SSEC
Application of ecosystem-based fisheries management principles requires understanding of how policy tools, like ITQ or catch-share systems, affect human components of social ecological systems (SES). Human well-being is a domain of particular interest related to U.S and Canadian Pacific Coast commercial groundfish fisheries where in recent years ITQ systems have seen notable increase in implementation. Job-satisfaction is identified as a pivotal factor affecting well-being, relating to individual attributes of mental health and longevity,and social problems. Changes in fishery policy, like catch-share systems, can alter season length, technological capacity, employment period, which in turn may impact job-satisfaction of those employed within the fishery. One area of interest for evaluating job-quality relates to the pattern of “absentee ownership” wherein the owner catch-share quota, does not actively participate in the fishery beyond leasing of quota to vessels. To address this topic, we offer preliminary findings from semi-structured interviews and social surveys conducted with participating fishers in the federally managed U.S. West Coast Groundfish fishery. Through collaboration with the NWFSC Human Dimensions Pacific Coast Groundfish Social Survey, Washington and Oregon fishing communities were sampled and asked to provide feedback on how effects of “absentee ownership” were perceived to impact job-quality. Perceived benefits and costs of the practice to participating fishers are investigated. Additionally, underlying social factors contributing to the cause of “absentee” ownership are also explored, i.e. patterns of decisions that lead to situations where vessels operate with quota owner not on-board. The goal of this work is to provide insight into factors impacting human well-being in Pacific Coast, and Salish Sea fisheries and the future development of appropriate indicators useful to evaluate social impacts of catch-share based management strategies.
