A realist evaluation of the individual transferable quota system used in Finnish herring fisheries

Forskningsoutput: TidskriftsbidragArtikelVetenskapligPeer review

Sammanfattning

Rights-based management, such as the individual transferable quota (ITQ) system, is a popular approach for pursuing economic, social, and
environmental sustainability in fisheries, with a variety of outcomes. This variety appears to be explained by the contextual differences between
the targeted fisheries. By acknowledging that each fishery is unique, we need to apply holistic evaluation methods to understand the mechanisms
causing different outcomes in fisheries interventions. Here, we apply the realist evaluation (RE) approach to evaluate the ITQ system implemented
in the Finnish herring fishery. This study serves two purposes: () it outlines the realized outcomes of the Finnish management system in relation
to the expected outcomes and () it introduces the RE method to the field of fisheries management. Measured in economic terms, the results
indicate the new management system to be a success, although the benefits are more prominent for large-scale fishers. The context did not allow
small-scale fishers to reap the theorized benefits of the ITQ system, leading to a somewhat more uncertain future for the sector. The RE approach
proved to be a useful tool, well-suited to the evaluation of fisheries management systems.
Originalspråkengelska
TidskriftICES Journal of Marine Science
Volym78
Nummer10
Sidor (från-till)3603-3614
Antal sidor12
ISSN1054-3139
DOI
StatusPublicerad - dec. 2021
MoE-publikationstypA1 Tidskriftsartikel-refererad

Vetenskapsgrenar

  • 1172 Miljövetenskap

Citera det här