Stakeholder groups in fisheries management

We examine some of the main forms of stakeholder participation in fisheries management, present a New Zealand case study which tests some precepts about fishery management, examine some of the tradeoffs associated with these different approaches, and finally we consider what formats stakeholder involvement might evolve to. Our particular focus is on a test of the commercial stakeholder self-management model. It is concluded that the commercial model, as applied in New Zealand, has much potential to contribute to sustainable fisheries management. Rather than competing with the quota management system and individual transferable quotas, it is an essential and complementary management tool.