The differential effects of changing management regimes on yields from two fisheries exploiting the same resources

Abstract

A yield per recruit model has been used to compare the effects of mesh size increment on the yields and revenues of the fisheries of Cameroon under two different cases. Case 1 assumes the commercial fishery to move from the exploitation of three age-groups to two age-groups with no interactions with the artisanal fishery, whereas Case 2 takes into account these interactions. The difference in the percentage increase of yield per recruit between case 1 and case 2 is 61% at current fishing (46% and 18% yield per recruit increment in cases 1 and 2 respectively). The usually accepted long-term yield per recruit increment with increase of age at first capture (with a single non-interacting fisheries) is, in this case, cancelled out. However, the revenues increase by 72% and 63% in cases 1 and 2 respectively. Therefore the economic approach, compared with purely biological analyses, is more convincing. In general, as fisheries always interact, a single-fishery management approach should not be the rule as it is at present; management strategies should consider interactions between different fisheries and be based on their economic performances and not, as said earlier, on purely biological considerations. This is because a biological approach to fisheries management will, at best, be modified by economic factors, or, at worst, be ignored totally in favour of economic policies.