Outcomes of gear and closure subsidies in artisanal coral reef fisheries

Abstract

The outcomes of subsidizing natural and fishing capital were studied in nearshore coral reef fisheries initiated by the devolution of governance and management from national to county governments. One county promoted a net subsidy program of preferred mesh sizes with a distinct purchase and distribution date, while the other supported the ongoing maintenance of fisheries closures. This provoked a BACI design where standard fisheries statistics were measured 3 years prior to and 2.5 years after the net subsidy, or the life expectancy of these nets. Only ~50% of the purchased nets were utilized, indicating a replacement rather than addition of capital and low need. For example, net fishing effort did not change and there was an overall demographic change in gear use away from traps toward lower cost spearguns. Net subsidized fisheries displayed a 9% increase in the mean length of captured fish but also a decline in catch-per-unit effort (CPUE) and personal incomes and no change in prices, yields, and per area incomes. In contrast, the fisheries surrounding closures displayed increased fishing effort and a 4% decline in fish lengths but increased CPUE, yield, incomes, and per area revenues. The net cost of maintaining closures was less than the gear subsidy purchase. Significant time × treatment interactions in all indicators support the conclusion that gear subsidies, apart from larger fish sizes, worsened the fisheries, while closures improved it. Increased recruitment rather than growth of fish appeared to be the mechanism for improvement.