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Optimal Rebuilding of a Metapopulation
Author(s) -
Sanchirico James N.,
Wilen James E.,
Coleman Conrad
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
american journal of agricultural economics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.949
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1467-8276
pISSN - 0002-9092
DOI - 10.1093/ajae/aaq045
Subject(s) - metapopulation , biological dispersal , order (exchange) , overfishing , fishery , environmental resource management , ecology , fish <actinopterygii> , economics , biology , population , finance , demography , sociology
A contentious issue in recent fisheries management debates has been how to rebuild overfished marine fish stocks. We investigate the economic and ecological nature of rebuilding plans in a metapopulation system. We find “most rapid approach paths” for system‐wide recovery that differ from prototypical paths that might be chosen when populations are assumed independent. For example, moratoria in some patches may be extended in order to speed the recovery of other patches in the system. We also investigate the costs of second‐best policies that depend on the degree of spatial heterogeneity, the nature of the linkages, and the dispersal rates.