Targeting ability and output controls in Australia's multi-species Northern Prawn Fishery

The degree to which individual species can be targeted will influence how quotas are set in multi-species fisheries managed through individual transferable quotas (ITQs). In this paper, a multi-output distance function is used to examine fishers' ability to control output mix in a fishery about to move to ITQ management. The parameters of the model are estimated using Bayesian techniques, with monotonicity and homogeneity conditions imposed to ensure theoretical consistency. The results suggest that the ability of fishers to change their output mix is relatively limited, and a single quota may be sufficient to control catches of the key species.