Adaptive response of beam trawl fishers to rising fuel cost

In this paper, we develop models to test different hypotheses on the optimal towing speed at which fuel savings are traded off against the reduction in catch due to the decrease in swept area. The model predicts that optimal towing speed is a decreasing function of fuel price and an increasing function of fish abundance and price. The model was fitted to vessel monitoring system (VMS) data. By means of mixture analysis, these VMS data were attributed to one of three behavioural modes: floating, towing, or navigating. Data attributed to the towing mode were used to determine the model that best fit the data. The preferred model includes a maximum towing speed and a component describing the decline in catch efficiency with decreasing towing speed. Towing speed is reduced by up to 14%. The savings obtained by reducing towing speed were estimated for each month and showed that vessels reduced their fuel consumption by between 0 and 40%.

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