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Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Lobster Hui. Ralph Townsend, Sam Pooley, and Raymond Clarke Workshop on Fisheries Co-ops and Beyond Anchorage, Alaska June 23-24, 2003. NWHI Lobster Fishery. Spiny and slipper lobsters Max. landings 2.3 million pounds in 1985 16 vessels max. (in 1985)
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Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Lobster Hui Ralph Townsend, Sam Pooley, and Raymond Clarke Workshop on Fisheries Co-ops and Beyond Anchorage, Alaska June 23-24, 2003
NWHI Lobster Fishery • Spiny and slipper lobsters • Max. landings 2.3 million pounds in 1985 • 16 vessels max. (in 1985) • 1998 prices: $5.55 for Spiny, $3.94 for slipper • 4-6 week trips • Mostly Alaskan crab, Hawaii longline boats
NWHI Lobster Management • Fishery began in 1976 • Western Pacific Council mgt. since 1983 • 1991 Amendment 7 • Quota, sum of spiny + slipper (resource decline in late 1980s due to climatic change) • Limited entry to 15 vessels (12 owners). Probably 5-10 vessels optimal. • July 1-December 31 season (or when quota exhausted
Administrative Issues • December 1992 “window” opening • “Use-it-or-lose-it” clause in Amend. 7 • 1994 in-season quota adjusted from 200,000 to 20,900 after 130,000 caught
Stalled Management • By 1997, 21-day derby fishery • MSFCMA ITQ moratorium (several wanted IQ/ITQ) • Ban on consolidation in Amend. 7 (active sales; indirect consolidation) • MSFCMA fee provisions blocked buy-out
The “Hui” • 1998, 14 of 15 boats entered agreement • 4 boats to fish, to target live for higher prices • 25% of quota to each vessel; 25% at Necker to each vessel • 20% to compensate other 10 vessels • 1 share for bare permit; 6 shares for permit with vessel and gear • $5000 payout to permit; $30,000 to permit and vessel • Negotiated in “hours”
Agreement not renewed • 15th permit transferred to new entrant • Low prices, in part due to Asian crisis • Loss of vessel and catch at Kure
After the Hui • 1999 derby with 6 vessels • 2000 closed due to quota-setting issues (industry concurred) • Clinton marine reserve declaration would have capped landings at 2000 level (!) • 2001-present. Closed, officially due to uncertainty over quota. • Some talk of permit buy-out. • Native Hawaiian rights issue in background
Lessons • Low cost to negotiate and enforce • Higher prices important • Hold-out a problem • Knew about Pacific whiting co-op • Is even 12 (really 8-10?) too large to hold voluntary group together?