Commercial Fisheries Economics

NOAA Fisheries conducts a wide range of commercial fisheries economic analyses. These analyses include estimating harvest of target species and marketable bycatch species; predicting bycatch of protected species; assessing fishing capacity and the cost of reducing over-capacity; predicting entry/exit into fisheries; and determining the contribution of commercial fishing to local, state and national economies. Commercial fisheries economic analyses enable the Agency to assess both the magnitude and distribution of the costs and benefits associated with each management decision. This research program directly supports NOAA Fisheries stewardship goal of maximizing benefits to the Nation while ensuring the long-term sustainability of all living marine resources.

Currently, NOAA Fisheries is conducting a national assessment of the Economic Performance of Catch Share Programs, which will be expanded in 2013 to include non-catch share commercial fisheries. Commercial fisheries economic tools available on this website include the Capacity & Technical Efficiency Toolbox and the Interactive Economic Impact Toolbox. NOAA Fisheries is also developing a marine spatial modeling tool for assessing the benefits and trade-offs of alternative use patterns for commercial fishing grounds.