Implications of new economic policy instruments for tuna management in the Western and Central Pacific

Yeeting, Agnes D. and Bush, Simon R. and Ram-Bidesi, Vina and Bailey, Megan (2015) Implications of new economic policy instruments for tuna management in the Western and Central Pacific. Marine Policy, 63 . pp. 45-52. ISSN 0308-597X

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Abstract

Tuna management in the Western and Central Pacific is complicated by the conflicting interests of
countries and agents exploiting tuna resources in the region. Historically, regulatory attempts by Pacific
Island Countries to control fishing effort within their Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) have met with
limited success. The introduction of new economic policy instruments by the Parties to the Nauru
Agreement (PNA), such as the Vessel Day Scheme (VDS) and Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certi-
fication, has supported and complemented existing conservation and management measures. By
bringing in new incentives for the PNA states, greater control over fishing effort and the formulation of
perceptibly new sustainable fishing practices have emerged. Using a new institutional economic framework,
this paper analyses the shift from regulatory policy to new economic policy instruments
through the lens of New Institutional Economics. The results show how the adoption of the VDS and MSC
certification program has brought new changes and improvements to tuna negotiations, to agreements,
and to outcomes amongst parties. Investing in these new instruments has elucidated ways in which new
economic institutions strengthen de jure political control over transboundary fish resources and fishing
fleets.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	K Law > K Law (General) Q Science > Q Science (General) S Agriculture > SH Aquaculture. Fisheries. Angling
Divisions:	Faculty of Science, Technology and Environment (FSTE) > School of Marine Studies
Depositing User:	Repo Editor
Date Deposited:	27 Oct 2015 23:43
Last Modified:	23 Jun 2017 02:29
URI:	https://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/8555

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