Towards Sustainable Fisheries in the California Current Ecosystem
Robert C. Francis, School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences, University of Washington
R/F-145
Many West Coast fisheries, their resources and the port communities they support have collapsed in recent decades. To gain insight into sources and remedies for current problems, this project will develop and link two models: a biophysical model of the coastal marine food web and a socioeconomic model of port communities. The primary method of linkage is through bioeconomic valuation — a methodology for expressing relationships between direct (commodity) values and indirect values of ecosystem services. With these valuation techniques and a broader view of West Coast fisheries, the project can assist the Pacific Fishery Management Council and others examine a broad range of topics, including techniques for rebuilding overfished stocks, and alternative ways to manage regional fisheries. Project partners include researchers from California State University, Monterey Bay, and the nonprofit organization, Ecotrust.
For more information, please contact Robert C. Francis, bfrancis@u.washington.edu.