Post on 31-Dec-2015
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?