Generalizing Fisheries Models: An Extension of the Schaefer Analysis

Abstract

Central to fish harvesting management plans are population estimates and productivity relationships. The conventional Schaefer model, consisting of a fish harvesting production function and a population dynamics equation, is generalized to permit estimation of an unconstrained Cobb–Douglas production function for a fishery in the absence of population data. The generalization results in equilibrium catch and population figures that can be substantially different from conventional Schaefer estimates. The choice of model, therefore, may strongly affect steady-state quota allocations and total allowable catch paths to the steady state.