H.
C.
Lampe and L. A. Adriasola
!
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS FOR MARINE •••
of fishery problems, particularly as tools for quantitative analysis
have become increasingly available through the use of computers
and the development of computerized models. These advances allow
today the examination of system as complex as the fisheries after
some investment in developing or adapting models has been made
in order to accurately characterize them.
This paper discusses the ways in which economic analysis may
contribute tobetter explain and predict the behaviour of develop–
ing fisheries and their related activities; descriDes the data require–
ments for a model used recently to characterize the Chilean fish pro–
duction and marketing activities and discusses the improvements
needed on the data available in Chile so that
it
can be used for this
c1ass of models to yield accurate results.
2.
THE CONTRIBUTION OF FISHERIES ECONOMICS
Fisheries economics can contribute to clarify issues, in the follow–
ing areas:
a) Measure of costs and benefits
Returns, economic and financial, are crítical for both govern–
mental and prívate investment decision making. Economic analysís
in this respect provides the elements to optimize the allocation of
scarce resources among alternative uses.
This is done by defining first the technoeconomíc system of
interests and the project within that system to be evaluated, subse–
quently evaluating the costs and beneHts internal to the project, and
oorrecting them the value of financial parameters to recognize their
interaction with the entire economic system. This last step usualIy
consists in the correction for price distortions (taxes, subsides, foreign
exchange rates, etc.) trying to bring the level oE the parameters
used in the financial analysis to their shadow values, i.e. the level
they would assume under a condition of general equilibrium in the
economy.
b) Marketing and distribution
One of the areas where there Ís normally a great need for cla–
rificatíon is the intermediation between extractors and consumers
of fishery products. Accurate information on costs, risks, distribu–
tíon margins are required for any policy recommendation affecting
fish and/or fishery products distribution.
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