Policy Simulation of Fisheries in the Hong Kong Marine Ecosystem

W. L. Cheung, R. Watson, T. J. Pitcher, (2002). “Policy Simulation of Fisheries in the Hong Kong Marine Ecosystem.,” Fisheries Centre Research Reports No. 10 (Fisheries Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

Alternative fishery management policies under different policy objectives for the 1990s Hong Kong waters ecosystem were explored using a newly developed simulation model named ‘policy simulator’ under the Ecopath with Ecosim software. Scenarios, which aim to maximize the economic output, the social output, the ecological output, and a compromise between the above three outputs were simulated under different vulnerability settings. Results suggested that policy simulations that aimed to maximize economic and social strategy were sensitive to vulnerability setting. Results from simulations aimed to maximize ecological stability and the compromise scenario are generally consistent between different vulnerabilities, and suggested that fishing effort of all fishing sectors and all except P4/8 fishing sectors, respectively, should be reduced. The study also demonstrated that the economic and social outputs decrease when policy objective focuses increasingly on maximizing ecological stability. The results are consistent with general observations of fisheries management. It is suggested that the ‘policy simulator’ offers excellent insights into management trade-offs in an ecosystem context.

1198-6727, http://www.ecomarres.com/downloads/10-2.pdf