Use of Property Rights in Fisheries Management

de Ross Shotton

Part I of the proceedings consists of two major sections, the Mini-course lectures and the presentations presented during the Core Conference (Mini-course). The lectures presented during the two-day Mini-course were grouped in two sections. The first dealt with the concepts, theory and practice relating to the use of Property Rights in Fisheries Management. Subjects covered in the first past of the Mini-course included the historical development of the introduction of property in fishery management, property rights as a means of economic organization, selection of a property rights management system, resistance to changes in property rights or, whether to use Individual Transferable Quotas (ITQs), current property rights systems in fisheries management and group and community-based fishing rights.^ Topics covered in the second part of the Mini-course included Management Infrastructure for Rights Based Fishing, Legal Planning for Management of Fisheries Using Property Rights, The Administration of Fisheries Managed by Property Rights, Administration of Enforcement Mechanisms for Rights-Based Fisheries Management Systems and Fisher Participation in Rights-based Fisheries Management: The New Zealand Experience The second major section of Part I of the proceedings consists of the papers presented during the three-day Core Conference. These papers covered the perspectives of (a) governments in introducing and administering such methods of management and the political, conservation, social and economic consequences, (b) industry; and (c) the wider community and other involved stakeholders. The topics covered in the Core Conference were introduced by two major perspectives, Moving through the Narrows: from Open Access to ITQs and Self-government and Common Property Rights: An Alternative to ITQs. Papers presented during the first day of the Core Sessions covered government perspectives and issues, institutional arrangements, administrative challenges and the politics of the Rights-based fisheries management process. Papers presented during the second day of the Core Sessions described the perspective of industry, strategic responses of industry and industry initiatives in advancing rights-based fisheries management. Papers presented on the final day of the Core Conference dealt with the issues of community perspectives, recreational fishing, community property rights, customary fisheries management, community-based fisheries management and the exclusivity of rights.^ The session was closed with papers that provided a prognosis on the future development of property rights in fisheries management. Thus, the conference papers addressed the theory and application of property. Part 2 of the proceedings contains papers of presentations made during the Workshop Sessions of the Conference, which were held during the last two days of FishRights99. Seventy-six papers were presented in three parallel sessions. Workshop sessions addressed the themes of: Introduction to Rights-based Management What are Property Rights? Evolution of Rights-based Management Co-Management & Rights-based Management What are Property Rights? Multiple Communities and Rights-based Management Applying Rights-based Management Applying Rights-based Management to Developing Countries Responsibilities and Rights-based Management Denominating Rights Looking forward: Challenges and Opportunities. Thus, the workshop papers addressed national experiences in the design, implementation and modification of rights-based systems of fisheries management.^ The presentations included those made from the perspective of the fishing industry, government policy makers and administrators, legal implications as a consequence of national systems of law. Those concerned with the social and economic implications of this form of management reviewed the implications for communities affected by such changes in fisheries management approach. Many papers described specific national implementation experiences, both positive and negative, and national programme successes and 'less-than-successes'. Other papers dealt with the social, economic and legal theory appertaining to this form of management. Of the 76 papers presented during the Workshop part of the Conference, two were withdrawn after presentation and three were given only as oral presentations or in outline form.