Much has been written on the theoretical implications and postulated impacts of
individual transferable harvest quotas (ITHQ), but there have been few empirical studies
of the development and implementation process, the impacts of this process and the
impacts of ITHQ in a Great Lakes fishery. In 1984, Ontario implemented ITHQ for
selected commercial fish species. The objectives of this study are: (1) to identify and
understand the impacts of ITHQ; (2) to detail the linkages between these impacts and the
application of fisheries management interventions derived from the bioeconomic model
(which is the theoretical origin of ITHQ); and (3) to further our understanding of the
process of ITHQ development and implementation and the impacts of this process of
development and implementation, by utilizing theoretical perspectives in the co
management theory of resource management and in three policy process models.
The study area was the Canadian portion of the Lake Huron commercial fishery.
Data were obtained from annual harvest reports filed by commercial fishers over the
1980-1985 time period and through interviews with commercial fishers, fisheries
managers and scientists. Data on 1986-1989 harvest amounts and values was also
obtained from the provincial data base.
In the two years following ITHQ implementation, there was little traceable impact
on either the harvest amounts or values of the two principal commercial species, but
there was a trend toward a reduction in capacity of the fishery. ITHQ’s most important
effects appears to have been on the organization of labour and capital in the fishery.
Commercial fishing activities have not generated major instabilities; it is the ecological
phenomena that most affect harvest amounts, species and values.
Other policy impacts, however, are complex and difficult to identify and analyze.
Future administrative costs are not easy to estimate; the social impacts from changes in
the structure of the industry are intricate; and some aspects of policy implementation may be too inflexible. Analysis of qualitative data suggests several conclusive linkages
between the process of ITHQ development and implementation and its effectiveness. In
this regard, adequacy of stock assessment information, effectiveness of consultation and
level of attention to social context were found to be of importance.
The co-management model was found to provide a strong basis for explanation
and understanding of the impacts of the process of ITHQ development and
implementation in the community of resource users because the relationships it
incorporates overtly address decision-making processes related to the adaptation of new
ideas, arbitration of power relationships, and the rate, timing and extent of change. The
co-management model suggests that incorporation of resource users’ collective strengths
and organization in an arrangement wherein regulatory interventions are developed and
implemented cooperatively with resource users would lead to more efficient, effective
and sustainable management regimes. Transaction costs, in particular, may be
significantly reduced in a co-managed fishery where specified community characteristics
exist.
Development and implementation processes for ITHQ in Lake Huron were viewed
as the interaction of rational, incremental and interest group decision-making processes.
Findings suggest that social issues of autonomy, equity and a broad basis of
understanding are as important as those of economic efficiency, and that if not dealt with,
these issues can significantly impact the efficacy of management interventions.
This study is significant because it addresses analysis of common property
problems through utilizing the analytical powers derived from models dealing with
biological, economic and political relationships to examine a regulatory policy application
in a field situation (after Ostrom 1992).
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:BVAU.2429/7086 |
| Date | 11 1900 |
| Creators | Jaffray, Beverley Ann |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Relation | UBC Retrospective Theses Digitization Project [http://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/retro_theses/] |
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