Modelling the economic consequences of Marine Protected Areas using the BEMCOM model

TY - JOUR

T1 - Modelling the economic consequences of Marine Protected Areas using the BEMCOM model

AU - Hoff, Ayoe

AU - Andersen, Jesper Levring

AU - Christensen, A.

AU - Mosegaard, H.

N1 - Published online 23 February 2012

PY - 2013/10

Y1 - 2013/10

N2 - This paper introduces and describes in detail the bioeconomic optimization model BEMCOM (BioEconomic Model to evaluate the COnsequences of Marine protected areas) that has been developed to assess the economic effects of introducing Marine Protected Areas (MPA) for fisheries. BEMCOM answers the question ‘what’s best?’, i.e. finds the overall optimal effort allocation, from an economic point of view,between multiple harvesting fleets fishing under a subset of restrictions on catches and effort levels. The BEMCOM model is described and applied to the case of the Danish sandeel fishery in the North Sea. It has several times been suggested to close parts of the sandeel fishery in the North Sea out of concern for other species feeding on sandeel and/or spawning in the sandeel habitats. The economic effects of such closures have been assessed using BEMCOM. The results indicate that the model yields reliable estimates of the effect of MPAs, and can thus be a valuable tool when deciding where to locate MPA.

AB - This paper introduces and describes in detail the bioeconomic optimization model BEMCOM (BioEconomic Model to evaluate the COnsequences of Marine protected areas) that has been developed to assess the economic effects of introducing Marine Protected Areas (MPA) for fisheries. BEMCOM answers the question ‘what’s best?’, i.e. finds the overall optimal effort allocation, from an economic point of view,between multiple harvesting fleets fishing under a subset of restrictions on catches and effort levels. The BEMCOM model is described and applied to the case of the Danish sandeel fishery in the North Sea. It has several times been suggested to close parts of the sandeel fishery in the North Sea out of concern for other species feeding on sandeel and/or spawning in the sandeel habitats. The economic effects of such closures have been assessed using BEMCOM. The results indicate that the model yields reliable estimates of the effect of MPAs, and can thus be a valuable tool when deciding where to locate MPA.

U2 - 10.1007/s10818-012-9135-3

DO - 10.1007/s10818-012-9135-3

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1387-6996

VL - 15

SP - 305

EP - 323

JO - Journal of Bioeconomics

JF - Journal of Bioeconomics

IS - 3

ER -