Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Social Study: An Overview of Initial Theme Based Results Suzanne M. Russell Social Scientist Ecosystem Management Program Human Dimensions Team October 30, 2014 Agenda Item J.5.b Supplemental NWFSC Report 6 November 2014
This presentation is an overview of the report provided in briefing book for the November 2014 Pacific Fishery Management Council Meeting Agenda Item J.5.b. NWFSC Report 6: The Pacific Groundfish Fishery Social Study: An Initial Theme Based Report 2
Background Research Goal Research Design Response Themed Results Summary 2015 Data Collection The views presented here are solely those of the authors and do not represent the views of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) or the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration 3
Background Social Science legal requirements Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act - National Standard 8 NEPA Literature Base Social Impact of Catch Shares Changing social relationships (McCay 1995) Barriers for new entrants (Dewees 2008) Crew impacts (Copes 1996; McCay and Brandt 2001) Varying impacts depending on community characteristics (Olsen 2011) 4
Research Goal This research aims to measure social & cultural changes in the groundfish fishing industry and related communities as a result of the implementation of the catch shares program. 5
Study Parameters Multi-year study Data collection prior to new program implementation (2010) Post implementation (2012) After each new design element - QS trading (2015) Contribute information to the 5 year review Contribute information to ongoing and future fisheries management efforts 6
Targeted Communities 7
Study Participants Research Participation Target Fishery Participants Anyone with a direct connection to the trawl fishery Census of known fishery participants List of vessel owners/permit holders Secondary research identified pertinent processors Referrals of all others Crew Businesses directly tied to the fishery Fishermen s wives/partners Concerned Fixed Gear participants Approached us in 2010 Accommodated as possible 8
Data Collection Survey Primarily In-person Voluntary Confidential One survey for all participants Survey completion matrix Available in 4 languages Interviews Semi-structured Photographic Documentation 9
Responses Rates Survey and Interview Survey Only Interview Only Total Survey Total Interview Targeted Response Rate 2010 Overall 2012 Overall 2010 Trawl 2012 Trawl 201 41 32 242 200 379 63.9% 235 24 31 259 236 500 51.8% 172 38 31 210 171 340 61.8% 195 22 25 217 195 386 56.2% Response rate was less in 2012, however, sample size is larger 10
Themed Analysis Graying of the Fleet Social Relationships Program Perceptions Fisheries Participation 11
Graying of the Fleet 12
Age Distribution of Trawl Harvesters 40 2010 2012 35 Percent 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 RR 2010: 100.0% RR 2012: 99.2% 0-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 + 70 Age Range Largest age range 51-60 years old: 2010 = 33.8%, 2012 = 37.8% Over 51 years old : 2010 = 56.3%, 2012 = 64.6% 13
Interview Quotes Related to Graying of the Fleet Now you look on the back deck, everybody has gray beards and gray hair. There are very few younger people coming into it. I think it is due to the uncertainty. They don t know what the future is going to hold for them. (Eureka Fisherman - 2010) We ve got a major problem with the aging of the crews. In our fleet, for example, most of our guys are close to 50 years old and older. And we don t see young people getting involved in fishery, it s just not happening.. (Seattle Fisherman - 2012) 14
Total Number of Years Fishing 20 2010 2012 18 16 14 Percent 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 0-5 6-10 11-15 16-20 21-25 26-30 31-35 36-40 41-45 46-50 50+ RR 2010: 95.7% RR 2012: 95.8 % Years Range Largest range is 31-35 years: 2010 = 18%, 2012 = 18.4% Over 31 years: 2010 = 55.6%, 2012 = 63.2% 0-5 years: 2010 = 9.8%, 2012 = 2.6% 15
Financial barriers Interview Quotes Highlighting Reasons for Graying of the Fleet There is no avenue for new entrants, unless you re exceptionally wealthy or exceptionally lucky. (Monterey Fisherman, 2012) You know the saddest thing about all of this coming down now.. a young man that s coming into the business and wants to work hard there s no way in hell he s going to get a million or whatever it takes to get into it. Let alone buy a boat. So unless NMFS comes up with some kind of a loan program to help crew members or whatever that I mean there s guys who want to fish, but it s financially impossible to do. (Astoria Fisherman, 2012) 16
Loss of knowledge Interview Quotes Highlighting Reasons for Graying of the Fleet We need to support the older guy with the knowledge, as they are needed to mentor the young guys coming in to the fishery. We have to support that natural transition from older to younger practitioners, like an apprentice program would. (Morro Bay Fisherman, 2012) Yeah, anybody can go run a shrimp boat. All you gotta know how to do is run the gear up and down. With trawl it is, it's experience. That's the only way you can get it is by doing it. (Eureka Fisherman, 2012) 17
Social Relationships 18
Quality of Relationships Fishermen s Responses Change in relationships Largest change = 25.6% change with Observers Trends indicate a decrease in positive relationships with vessel owners, crew, and captain/operators 19
Quality of Relationships Processor s Responses Change in relationships Largest change = 27.6% change with Laborers Trends indicate a increase in positive relationships with permit holders and decrease in positive relationships with all other roles. 20
Program Perspectives 21
Program Support By State 80 60 40 20 0 WA More even distribution between Support and Lack of support responses in 2012 Percent RR 10: 80 60 40 20 0 80 60 40 20 0 OR CA 2010 2012 2010 2012 2010 2012 2010 2012 Not applicable Yes No Not Sure Highest levels of support - WA, OR, CA respectively; Highest levels of Not supporting - CA, OR, WA respectively 22
Top 5 Reasons Program is Supported 2010 2012 Reduced bycatch Reduced bycatch Increase in market value Increase in individual accountability Increase in business flexibility Increase in business flexibility Improvement of product quality Increase in safety More stable income Increase in market value Top 5 Reasons Program is Not Supported 2010 2012 Boats leave the fishery and negatively impact the community Loss of business and community infrastructure Fewer Jobs Decrease in income Increased cost to remain in fishery Observer coverage is problematic Increased cost to enter fishery Fewer Jobs Impact small boats/small businesses negatively Increased cost to remain in fishery 23
Fisheries Participation 24
Fisheries Participation Primary alternate fisheries for groundfish fishermen include Dungeness Crab and Shrimp. NOTE: Shrimp was added as a fishery to the 2012 survey after being identified as an important fishery in the other category in the 2010 results 25
Interview Quotes Highlighting Reasons for Changing of species targeted Change species in response to low quota allocations It [species targeted] has changed because of the potential to catch species that you don t have a catch share for (San Francisco Fisherman, 2012) Change species due to bycatch quota The other problem with the IFQ program is the incidental catch on the beach. We used to beach fish. Now everybody s afraid to beach fish. I got two pounds of yellow eye. That s a fillet. How am I going to deliver a fillet?...so it changes the dynamics of fishing (Crescent City Fisherman, 2012) 26
Interview Quotes Highlighting Reasons for Changing of species targeted Effort shift in other fisheries I crab longer than I normally would. And I m pink shrimp fishing now..that s because the market s good, but that can change (San Francisco Fisherman, 2012) I mean, we re able to fish as much as we want for the most part, but this is good shrimp years though. When we get down to poor shrimp years, this whole thing s going to change. (Brookings Fisherman, 2012) 27
Summary Greying of the fleet is supported How to support new entrants? Social relationships show some change, time may provide more clarification Program perceptions change based on expectation vs. experience Fisheries participation Some shift into fisheries with good markets, concerns future bad years 28
Continue Research Working on complete comparative technical memorandum of all results 2015 Data Collection, pending funding Show additional changes after quota share trading is open 29
Funding was provided by NOAA Fisheries NS8/Catch Shares 30
Co-Authors: Kim Sparks* Albert Arias-Arthur* Anna Varney* Field Researchers: 2010 2012 Tiffany Wilson Monica Galligan Stacey Miller Anna Varney Jason Davis Hunter Berns Kristen Hoelting Karma Norman Brian Carter Monica Galligan Ruby Moon Anna Varney Melissa Stevens Keeley Kent Sara Wise Kim Sparks Albert Arias-Arthur *Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission 31