Trading on extinction : an open-access deterrence model for the South African abalone fishery

dc.contributor.authorCrookes, Douglas
dc.date.accessioned2016-05-26T10:59:10Z
dc.date.available2016-05-26T10:59:10Z
dc.date.issued2016-03
dc.descriptionThis article forms part of a 3-year project studying new approaches to model the economics of scarce resources.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractSouth African rhinoceros (e.g. Diceros bicornis) and abalone (Haliotis midae) have in common that they both are harvested under open-access conditions, are high-value commodities and are traded illegally. The difference is that a legal market for abalone already exists. An open-access deterrence model was developed for South African abalone, using Table Mountain National Park as a case study. It was found that illegal poaching spiked following the closure of the recreational fishery. The resource custodian’s objective is to maximise returns from confiscations. This study showed that a legal trade results in a ‘trading on extinction’ resource trap, with a race for profits, an increase in the probability of detection after a poaching event and the depletion of populations. In contrast with HS Gordon’s seminal article (J Polit Econ 1954;62:124–142), profit maximisation does not automatically improve the sustainability of the resource. Under certain conditions (e.g. a legal trade with costly enforcement), profit maximisation may actually deplete abalone populations. The article also has implications for rhino populations, as a legal trade is currently proposed.en_ZA
dc.description.departmentEconomicsen_ZA
dc.description.librarianam2016en_ZA
dc.description.sponsorshipThe National Research Foundation (South Africa)en_ZA
dc.description.urihttp://www.sajs.co.zaen_ZA
dc.identifier.citationCrookes DJ. Trading on extinction: An open-access deterrence model for the South African abalone fishery. South African Journal of Science. 2016 ; 112(3/4), Art. #2015-0237, 9 pages. http://dx.DOI.org/ 10.17159/sajs.2016/20150237.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn0038-2353 (print)
dc.identifier.issn1996-7489 (online)
dc.identifier.other10.17159/sajs.2016/20150237
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/52762
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.publisherAOSIS Open Journalsen_ZA
dc.rights© 2016. The Author(s). Published under a Creative Commons Attribution Licence.en_ZA
dc.subjectRhinoen_ZA
dc.subjectSystem dynamicsen_ZA
dc.subjectIllegal harvestingen_ZA
dc.subjectPredator–preyen_ZA
dc.subjectTable Mountain National Parken_ZA
dc.subjectSouth African abaloneen_ZA
dc.subjectSouth African rhinocerosen_ZA
dc.titleTrading on extinction : an open-access deterrence model for the South African abalone fisheryen_ZA
dc.typeArticleen_ZA

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