Evidence of spillover benefits from large-scale marine protected areas to purse seine fisheries.

Global tuna fisheries are valued at more than $40 billion, with the majority of this value derived from purse seine fisheries. Recently created large-scale marine protected areas are potentially big enough to protect highly migratory species such as tuna, possibly leading to increases in abundance (a conservation benefit) and consequent spillover near protected area boundaries (an economic benefit). Using publicly available data from nine large-scale marine protected areas across the Pacific and Indian oceans, we find that catch-per-unit-effort in tuna purse seine fisheries has increased by an average of 12 to 18% near protected area boundaries, and this increase declines with distance from the boundaries.

A global test of MPA spillover benefits to recreational fisheries.

Marine protected areas (MPAs) have been identified as one of the most effective tools to halt marine biodiversity loss. However, conflicting evidence from disparate, small-scale studies obfuscate a cohesive global picture of the role that MPAs can play in enhancing local fisheries through spillover benefits. We conducted a global analysis of trophy-size fish catches as a proxy for spillover occurring outside of fully protected MPAs, focusing on time series of recreational angling catch records.

Data on how abundance of resource inflows and punishment types affect resource extraction behavior.

The data is collected through laboratory experiments on a dynamic common pool resource game, where, in an infinitely repeated number of rounds (i.e., game ended randomly), individuals made decisions about whether to exert a high or a low effort level to extract resources.

Spillover benefits from the world's largest fully protected MPA.

Previous research has cast doubt on the potential for marine protected areas (MPAs) to provide refuge and fishery spillover benefits for migratory species as most MPAs are small relative to the geographic range of these species. We test for evidence of spillover benefits accruing from the world's largest fully protected MPA, Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Using species-specific data collected by independent fishery observers, we examine changes in catch rates for individual vessels near to and far from the MPA before and after its expansion in 2016.

Avoiding critical thresholds through effective monitoring.

A major challenge in sustainability science is identifying targets that maximize ecosystem benefits to humanity while minimizing the risk of crossing critical system thresholds. One critical threshold is the biomass at which populations become so depleted that their population growth rates become negative-depensation. Here, we evaluate how the value of monitoring information increases as a natural resource spends more time near the critical threshold.

Fishing activity before closure, during closure, and after reopening of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument.

Evaluation of the economic impacts of marine protected areas is hampered by the fact that it is impossible to observe what would have happened if the protected area had never been closed to fishing (the counterfactual). Catch reports and vessel tracks are used to perform an analysis of the potential negative economic impacts of establishing the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument (located off the east coast of the United States of America) on three commercially important fisheries that were identified as having potential to be harmed. I conclude that there was little to no negative impact on any of the fisheries.

Impact of two of the world's largest protected areas on longline fishery catch rates.

Two of the largest protected areas on earth are U.S. National Monuments in the Pacific Ocean.

Social networks and environmental outcomes.

Social networks can profoundly affect human behavior, which is the primary force driving environmental change. However, empirical evidence linking microlevel social interactions to large-scale environmental outcomes has remained scarce. Here, we leverage comprehensive data on information-sharing networks among large-scale commercial tuna fishers to examine how social networks relate to shark bycatch, a global environmental issue.

What determines social capital in a social-ecological system? Insights from a network perspective.

Social capital is an important resource that can be mobilized for purposive action or competitive gain. The distribution of social capital in social-ecological systems can determine who is more productive at extracting ecological resources and who emerges as influential in guiding their management, thereby empowering some while disempowering others. Despite its importance, the factors that contribute to variation in social capital among individuals have not been widely studied.

Ecomarkets for conservation and sustainable development in the coastal zone.

Because conventional markets value only certain goods or services in the ocean (e.g. fish), other services provided by coastal and marine ecosystems that are not priced, paid for, or stewarded tend to become degraded.

Political economy of marine reserves: understanding the role of opportunity costs.

The creation of marine reserves is often controversial. For decisionmakers, trying to find compromises, an understanding of the timing, magnitude, and incidence of the costs of a reserve is critical. Understanding the costs, in turn, requires consideration of not just the direct financial costs but also the opportunity costs associated with reserves.

Can catch shares prevent fisheries collapse?

Recent reports suggest that most of the world's commercial fisheries could collapse within decades. Although poor fisheries governance is often implicated, evaluation of solutions remains rare. Bioeconomic theory and case studies suggest that rights-based catch shares can provide individual incentives for sustainable harvest that is less prone to collapse.