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Opportunities for agent‐based modelling in human dimensions of fisheries
Author(s) -
Burgess Matthew G.,
Carrella Ernesto,
Drexler Michael,
Axtell Robert L.,
Bailey Richard M.,
Watson James R.,
Cabral Reniel B.,
Clemence Michaela,
Costello Christopher,
Dorsett Chris,
Gaines Steven D.,
Klein Emily S.,
Koralus Philipp,
Leonard George,
Levin Simon A.,
Little Lorne Richard,
Lynham John,
Madsen Jens Koed,
Merkl Andreas,
Owashi Brandon,
Saul Steven E.,
Putten Ingrid E.,
Wilcox Sharon
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
fish and fisheries
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.747
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1467-2979
pISSN - 1467-2960
DOI - 10.1111/faf.12447
Subject(s) - mainstream , salient , fishing , fisheries management , construct (python library) , order (exchange) , bounded rationality , business , knowledge management , management science , environmental resource management , fishery , computer science , political science , engineering , economics , artificial intelligence , finance , law , biology , programming language
Models of human dimensions of fisheries are important to understanding and predicting how fishing industries respond to changes in marine ecosystems and management institutions. Advances in computation have made it possible to construct agent‐based models (ABMs)—which explicitly describe the behaviour of individual people, firms or vessels in order to understand and predict their aggregate behaviours. ABMs are widely used for both academic and applied purposes in many settings including finance, urban planning and the military, but are not yet mainstream in fisheries science and management, despite a growing literature. ABMs are well suited to understanding emergent consequences of fisher interactions, heterogeneity and bounded rationality, especially in complex ecological, social and institutional contexts. For these reasons, we argue that ABMs of human behaviour can contribute significantly to human dimensions of fisheries in three areas: (a) understanding interactions between multiple management institutions; (b) incorporating cognitive and behavioural sciences into fisheries science and practice; and (c) understanding and projecting the social consequences of management institutions. We provide simple examples illustrating the potential for ABMs in each of these areas, using conceptual (“toy”) versions of the POSEIDON model. We argue that salient strategic advances in these areas could pave the way for increased tactical use of ABMs in fishery management settings. We review common ABM development and application challenges, with the aim of providing guidance to beginning ABM developers and users studying human dimensions of fisheries.