Economic appraisal of offshore fisheries: A study on trawl fishing operations in Pakistan

This study attempts to show the effects and relative contributions of the different fisheries factors affecting the revenues for a sample of commercial offshore trawling vessels operating in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Pakistan. In this study, the level of relative contribution of each determinant is estimated by using the Standard Multiple Linear regression (SMLR) with standardized regression coefficients and correlation methods. The data were collected through the survey questionnaire and direct interviews with the boat owners and fishermen. The estimated standard beta regression coefficient values for the catch (beta(1) =0.253), horsepower (beta(2) =0.26), fishing days at sea (beta(3) =0.316) and skipper or captain's fishing experience (beta(4) =0.32), respectively. Similarly, the catch contributes (R-2 =17.7 %), horsepower (R-2 =18.2 %), fishing days (R-2 =22.5 %) and skipper (R-2 =23 %) on the revenue. Moreover, the correlation values for the catch (r((Revenue, Catch)) = 0.70), horsepower (r((Revenue, Horsepower)) = 0.698), fishing days (r((Revenue, Fishing Days)) = 0.713) and skipper (r((Revenue, Skipper)) = 0.718) indicates the strong positive relationship of each variable on the revenue. In conclusion, the skipper fishing experience and individual skills have a very strong influence on the maximizing of total earnings of trawling vessels.