Step 1 – Define program goals

Identifying goals is perhaps the most important Step to ensure a well-designed catch share program. Goals should be clearly articulated prior to catch share design: They will drive design decisions and provide a basis for evaluating success.

1.1 What are the program’s biological and ecological goals?

Conservation of fish stocks is often dictated by national or state law. In particular, conservation may include ending overfishing, rebuilding overfished stocks and/or increasing productivity of stocks. Additional biological or ecological goals may include reducing non-target catch, conserving key habitats or increasing knowledge of the stock and ecosystem.

1.2 What are the program’s economic goals?

Economic goals generally relate to both fleet-wide performance (such as fishery value) and individual business performance (such as per vessel profits). Such goals may include reducing overcapitalization (i.e., promoting efficiently operating fleets), promoting the economic viability of the industry and supporting stable, long-term employment. Additional economic goals may include minimization of government and industry costs of administration and management.

1.3 What are the program's social goals?

Social goals generally address the character and makeup of fishing fleets and communities, as well as fairness and equity issues. These goals have substantially driven the design of eligibility requirements, trading provisions, concentration caps and more.

1.4 Balance trade-offs.

Catch share design can be customized to balance goals, but it is unlikely that any fishery management system can achieve all stated goals equally well. Ranking goals by importance and revisiting them over time can help ensure the program is meeting its objectives. Meeting biological goals should be paramount since managers are generally required by law to do so, and sustainable, well-managed fish stocks contribute to meeting social and economic goals.