It all began from a simple question: why would fishers overexploit the very resource that their livelihood depends on? Today, fisheries management is at a complex crossroads: seafood supply is being impacted by climate change and ocean pollution, while many sustainable solutions such as marine protected areas could impact the economic opportunities offered by commercial and subsistence fishing. Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing industries in the US and around the world and its operation is getting more and more sustainable – can it be a solution to overfishing of wild fish stocks? Researchers in ENRE are studying different management strategies in the Ocean State and around the world to understand the best solutions that balance the economic benefits for local stakeholders and ensure the ongoing health of marine ecosystems.
Faculty
Selected publications
Ishihara, H., K. Tokunaga, and H. Uchida (2021) Achieving multiple social-ecological institutional fits: The case of spiny lobster co-management in Wagu, Japan. Ecological Economics 181, p. 106911.
Weir, M. J., and T.W. Sproul (2019) Identifying drivers of genetically modified seafood demand: Evidence from a choice experiment. Sustainability, 11(14), 3934.
Sproul, T.W., A. Bechard, and M.J. Weir. “The Economic Impact of Rhode Island Aquaculture” August 21, 2019.
Roheim, C.A., S.R. Bush, F. Asche, J.N. Sanchirico, and H. Uchida (2018) Evolution and future of the sustainable seafood market Nature Sustainability 1(8): 392-398.
Sproul, T.W. and C.P. Michaud. “The Economic Impact of Rhode Island’s Fisheries and Seafood Sector” December 13, 2018.
Uchida, H. (2017) TURFs, collective fishery management, and fishery cooperatives Bulletin of Marine Science 93(1): 88-99.
Uchida, H., C.A. Roheim, and R.J. Johnston (2017) Balancing the health risks and benefits of seafood: How does available guidance affect consumer choices? American Journal of Agricultural Economics 99(4): 1056-1077.