A new approach to access and allocation in the Atlantic Canadian fishery

Dooley, Thomas (2004) A new approach to access and allocation in the Atlantic Canadian fishery. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

[English] PDF - Accepted Version Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. Download (15MB)

Abstract

The allocation of harvesting rights to individuals or fishing companies is arguably the most contentious issue facing fisheries management today. In Atlantic Canada it presents a major challenge to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), given the complexity of the fleet structure and with several provincial and territorial jurisdictions involved. In an attempt to partially meet this challenge the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans struck the Independent Panel on Access Criteria (IPAC) in 2001. The Panel was mandated to find a solution to the decision making criteria as it relates to access with regards to ranking or weighting and defining these criteria. The IPAC final report was submitted to the Minister in March of 2002. While the report did identify principles and criteria, it failed to address completely some of the outstanding and fundamental problems associated with this complex issue. -- This paper reviews the concept of access and allocation, documents past problems, assesses the IPAC report and presents a model and process, complete with definitions and weighting, as a framework for access and allocation of fisheries resources in Atlantic Canada.

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