Marine Protected Areas and Recreational Fishing for Kelp Bass (Paralabrax clathratus) in Southern California: An Economic Perspective

The kelp bass fishery is arguably the most important recreational fishery in southern California, with more documented landings than that of any other species in the region since 1936. However, long term declines in catch-per-unit effort over the past several decades led to progressive management of the species by the California Department of Fish and Game, most notably with the recent implementation of an extensive network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) spanning from Point Conception to the Mexico and United States border. Achieving a balance between ecological and socioeconomic objectives is at best challenging, and often results in a tension between protection and fishing, currently being realized by those anglers engaged in the kelp bass fishery. While the benefits of protection may be realized in the long-term, many of the costs, often economic in nature, may be incurred initially. For the kelp bass angling community in southern California, these economic costs are being felt by a current reduction in the non-market values associated with fishing for the species, including a reduction in days spent on the water, perceived increased vessel congestion, and the belief that smaller fish will be caught as a result of the MPAs. This conclusion was drawn from analysis of data that was gathered over several months via a survey distributed throughout the kelp bass angling community in southern California. Nonetheless, this devaluation may be limited to the short term, with the potential for MPAs to foster improved fishing conditions over the long-term