Optimal Management of Conflicting Species: Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus) and Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) in the Northern Baltic Sea

• Main Authors: Holma, Maija, Lindroos, Marko, Kulmala, Soile
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English; unknown
• Published: International Institute of Fisheries Economics and Trade
• Subjects: Atlantic salmon; Salmo salar
• Online Access: https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/conference_proceedings_or_journals/cn69m8786

In the Baltic Sea, the successful conservation of grey seals has increased seal-induced damages to the Atlantic salmon fishery. The paper addresses the conflict between the conservation of the formerly endangered species and professional fishermen whose livelihood is also regulated by fisheries management. We develop a bioeconomic model that accounts for the age-structure of Atlantic salmon and grey seal populations. In order to reach a social optimum, we maximize the discounted net present value taking into account the seal-induced losses through a damage function. The socially optimal salmon stock size, salmon catch and fishing effort is studied under different management schemes aimed at mitigating the seal-salmon conflict. The results suggest that technological adaptation would effectively reduce the cause of the conflict, while a technology subsidy encouraging such adaptation shifts the economic responsibility from individual fishermen towards a broader public. KEYWORDS: Modeling and Economic Theory, Fisheries economics, Bioeconomic Modeling