Implementation of individual transferable quotas and compulsory landing of live lobsters as a fishery management strategy

Abstract

The crisis in the Brazilian lobster fishery management requires the adoption of innovative measures including ecosystems approach. Since the end of 1960´s, this fishery is managed by a rights-based policy and it has been facing one of the most serious crises among the commercial fisheries. This is an activity with open access, but since 1972, many controls were established after the signs of over-exploitation and productivity decrease. These measures include spawning area protection, closed seasons, minimum legal sizes, gear restrictions and special license for fishing vessels. However, due to habitat degradation and weak enforcement, a mismanaged protection policy and a frequently tolerant behavior with the illegal practice have led to its collapse. Many factors are related to the failure of public policies adopted in the management of this activity, and all stakeholders engaged in this fishery have stressed that alternative measures must be applied to overcome the social, environmental, economic and political crisis faced at this moment. The difficulties for the effectiveness of the existing rules and the frequent inability of the government to monitori their enforcement, together with the usual behavior of fishermen, without concern about the future of the resources, have been also addressed as the source of this failure. This paper gives the first steps towards discussing strategies to the implementation of Individual Transferable Quota. Also, an innovative measure is proposed: the mandatory landing of live lobsters.