Search results

The South Pacific tuna fishery is the largest and most valuable tuna fishery worldwide. There are two major concerns with current governance of the fishery: the Pacific island countries are not deriving as much benefit from its exploitation as they could; and current management strategies will not ensure long-term sustainability of the resource. These concerns are addressed by highlighting key opportunities for sustainable economic development. These opportunities include regional cooperation in determining a total allowable catch for the region and how it is allocated among individual island states; setting the total allowable catch on the grounds of sustainability and maximisation of economic rents; and the auctioning of entitlements among individual fishers. Concerns regarding fishery policy in many Pacific island countries are also presented with suggestions for policy reform.

The Pacific island countries depend heavily on bilateral aid. Much of this aid is provided by distant water fishing nations in exchange for cheap access to the Western and Central Pacific tuna fishery. Japan access fees (approximately US$8 million) are comparable to about 5 percent of Japanese aid to the region (approximately US$150 million). If access fees were maximized, there is potential for the access fees to match, possibly double, total Japanese aid to the region. It is argued that aid dependency is decreasing the transparency of fishing treaties, decreasing the flexibility of government spending, exposing the Pacific island countries to large financial risks associated with possible aid withdrawal, and stifling the region's own efforts for fisheries and broader economic

The Pacific island countries depend heavily on bilateral aid. Much of this aid is provided by distant water fishing nations in exchange for cheap access to the Western and Central Pacific tuna fishery. Japan access fees (approximately US$8 million) are comparable to about 5 percent of Japanese aid to the region (approximately US$150 million). If access fees were maximized, there is potential for the access fees to match, possibly double, total Japanese aid to the region. It is argued that aid dependency is decreasing the transparency of fishing treaties, decreasing the flexibility of government spending, exposing the Pacific island countries to large financial risks associated with possible aid withdrawal, and stifling the region's own efforts for fisheries and broader economic

One of the most hotly debated issues of fisheries policy in the Pacific is whether or not public funds should be used to finance commercial tuna fishing ventures. Many commentators from within the region argue for public investment in the industry to stimulate domestication. In this paper we propose an alternative policy in which tuna fishing revenues are invested offshore through a trust fund, rather than re-invested in domestic commercial fishing activity. Trust fund earnings could then be used to stimulate and support private sector initiatives and alternative economic activities. We use the example of Kiribati, one of the poorer Pacific island countries, to illustrate how offshore investment through a trust fund has succeeded in generating substantial revenues, when most Kiribati government corporations, including a state-owned fishing enterprise, have performed poorly.

One of the most hotly debated issues of fisheries policy in the Pacific is whether or not public funds should be used to finance commercial tuna fishing ventures. Many commentators from within the region argue for public investment in the industry to stimulate domestication. In this paper we propose an alternative policy in which tuna fishing revenues are invested offshore through a trust fund, rather than re-invested in domestic commercial fishing activity. Trust fund earnings could then be used to stimulate and support private sector initiatives and alternative economic activities. We use the example of Kiribati, one of the poorer Pacific island countries, to illustrate how offshore investment through a trust fund has succeeded in generating substantial revenues, when most Kiribati government corporations, including a state-owned fishing enterprise, have performed poorly.

Three policy options for greenhouse gas abatement in the predominantly grazing systems of Western Australia are analysed. The two taxation policies (a tax on total emissions, and a tax on methane emissions only) are only effective at extreme tax rates ($85/t CO2 equivalents) where farming systems are no longer economically viable. The third policy option, emission restrictions, allows farms to remain profitable at approximately four times greater abatement levels than the taxation policies, and is found to be the most effective and efficient policy option studied. However, it is concluded that the introduction of any farm-level policy for greenhouse gas abatement would be politically unpopular and, in the absence of swift and innovative technological change, would cause the current farming systems to fail and be replaced by alternative land-uses.

The tuna resources of the Western and Central Pacific (WCP) are the world's largest and most valuable fisheries of their type and are of significant economic importance to the Pacific Island countries (PICs), through whose waters of national jurisdiction the tuna migrate. Two major concerns exist with the current governance of the fishery. First, PICs are receiving only a small share of the resource rents from the tuna fisheries. Second, current management structure of the fisheries will not ensure the long-term sustainability of the resources. The paper presents a simple model to argue for increased resource taxation as a means of raising tax revenues and improving sustainability of the resource. Such an outcome is only possible when a single policy-maker has the prerogative to set taxes so that the government acts as a Stakelberg leader in this game. Institutional mechanisms to engender cooperation between PIC governments and with distant water fishing nations (DWFNs) to achieve the espoused outcomes of the model are also presented.