The bioeconomics of a wild Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) recreational fishery

A biomass model of a wild salmon (Salmo salar) river recreational fishery is formulated, and the ways in which economic and biological conditions influence harvesting, stock size, profitability, and the benefit of the anglers are studied. The demand for recreational angling is met by fishing permits supplied by profit maximizing landowners. In line with today’s stylized management practice in Norway, it is assumed that the suppliers do not take into account the fact that this year’s fishing effort influences next year’s stock size. Both price-taking and monopolistic supply is studied. These myopic schemes are contrasted with the social planner solution. Gear regulations in the recreational fishery, but also the commercial fishery, are analysed under the various management scenarios and the paper concludes with some policy implications. One novel result is that imposing gear restrictions in the marine fishery may have the opposite stock effect of imposing restrictions in the recreational fishery