Abstract

In accordance with the concepts of ecosystem-based fisheries management, this study looked at how to employ individual transferable quotas to regulate fishing's effects on all ecosystem components. As a result of switching from input controls to output-based management, the regulatory authority's control tends to be lessened, which may have an impact on the outcomes for ecosystem management. In 18 ITQ fisheries that have been independently accredited as ecologically sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council or in accordance with Australian environmental law for Wildlife Trade Operation, six fishing techniques were examined in this study's usage of input controls. A variety of ITQ fisheries maintained input controls, with non-selective fisheries like trawl, gillnet, and line using more of them than selective fisheries like purse-seine, pot/trap, and dredge. Additional case studies supported the recent and extensive usage of input controls to manage fishing's effects on the ecosystem. The retention of input restrictions, especially closures, has an impact on the fishing use right's security feature and the potential for fishermen to manage their right for future benefit. Closures decrease the security attribute by denying access, which reduces industry confidence and the motivation for long-term decision-making. One of the main motivations for implementing ITQ management was to prevent individual fisher incentives and behaviour from diverging from societal sustainability objectives.