Anadromous fish populations in the Pacific Northwest have
undergone substantial change throughout the past century.
Historical periods of over-harvest and the construction of
numerous dams throughout the region have contributed to declines
in the runs of naturally spawning stocks. Management efforts to
rebuild fish populations have focused on the restriction of
harvest activities and the release of hatchery-reared salmon.
A microcomputer simulation model is developed to estimate
the economic impacts of management alternatives. In it, fish are
passed throughout a network of nodes, according to parameters
governing mortality and harvest. These parameters, and the node
structure itself, are provided to the model by a user-specified
input file. As a result, the model affords flexibility in
meeting the modeling needs of differing salmonid stocks.
The model's economic assessment capabilities are
demonstrated through a case study of Rogue River spring chinook.
Results of this exercise include estimates for the impacts of
dam construction, hatchery releases, and changes in ocean and
river harvest policies on the social value derived from harvest
activities. The research also examines the redistribution of
economic benefits associated with these policies.
The impact of a recently constructed dam upon spring
chinook fishermen is estimated at a loss of more than
$10,600,000 over thirty years, given no hatchery
supplementation. Current hatchery programs have mitigated the
loss to fishermen, but whether they also offset their operating
costs depends upon the particular harvest values employed. The
value of providing an additional wild spawner to the basin is
estimated to be roughly $300.
Examination of various harvest alternatives indicates that
restrictions placed on the commercial ocean fishery would be
more successful in increasing the present value of harvests than
would similar restrictions in the sport fishery. An important
factor in this outcome is the higher value attributed to sport
catch by currently accepted methods of valuation.
Suggestions are made for improvements to the simulation
model and the availability of information for use with it.
Foremost among these is the need for improved specification of
the marginal social value derived from salmon harvested in
commercial and recreational fisheries. / Graduation date: 1987
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/26752 |
| Date | 25 August 1986 |
| Creators | Hastie, James D. |
| Contributors | McCarl, Bruce A. |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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