The Management of Fishery in the Lagoon of Venice

Recently, Mediterranean lagoon environment, mainly in the North Adriatic area, has been threatened by the overexploitation of fishery. Fishing has been rapidly growing since clam (Tapes phippinarum) fishery has spread over several lagoons. Fishing growth has been accomplished by capital-intensive fishery equipments increasing harvesting beyond the sustainable biological growth. This pattern is driven by myopic behavior and common property fisheries with free entry or open access. Institutional arrangements on fish resources may encourage a fishing farming matching the biological capacity. In this study a bioeconomic dynamic model is used to describe the optimal resource allocation in case of sole owner of fishery resource. This model has been applied to a specific fish, namely Great green goby (Zosterisessor ophiocephalus), living in the lagoon of Venice. Results confirm biological overfishing and stock depletion has occurred. Mainly factors affecting bioeconomic equilibrium such as prices, interest rate and fishing effort are fixed by market. New institutional arrangements and policy tools such as confining clam fishery, limited-licensing entry and catch quotas may ensure stock rehabilitation, highly productive fisheries as well as environmental protection only if they are supported by adequate market policies