Technical Efficiency in a Heterogeneous Fishery: The Case of Norwegian Groundfish Fisheries

Most fish stocks are targeted by different fleets using different types of vessels and gear Heterogeneous fleets can contribute to variations in vessel performance, as the potential of each vessel type and gear differs when it comes to harvesting fish. Different management regimes among vessel groups can amplify these variations. To explore this issue, this article investigates differences in efficiency between and within vessel groups in the Norwegian groundfish fleet. Whereas efficiency differences within a group of relatively homogeneous vessels reflect managerial abilities, efficiency differences between different groups of vessels reflect the use of different technologies and/or management regimes. Our results indicate the presence of significant inefficiencies. Given the substantial variation in technical efficiency both between and within vessel groups, both managerial skills and an inefficient management regime in the study fishery are documented.