Economics

Welcome to the NOAA Fisheries Economics Program. Data collection, assessments and research undertaken by this Program are used to evaluate the benefits and costs of alternative management actions, to prioritize management needs, and to facilitate policy design that sustainably maximizes societal benefits from ocean and coastal resources.

The Agency’s Economics Program monitors status and trends in performance of the commercial and recreational fishing sectors, including assessing regional economic impacts (sales, value-added and job impacts), and analyzes critical fishery management issues such as evaluating the economic performance of catch share programs, assessing marine spatial management options and assessing protected species bycatch reduction strategies. In addition, the Program conducts research on valuing marine protected species, analyzes the economic impacts and benefits from habitat conservation and restoration efforts, and, increasingly, conducts integrated modeling of ecosystem services.

Links to each of the regional NOAA Fisheries Economics Programs, Tools and other resources are also provided on this website.