Fisheries’ Economic Impacts from the Rezoning of the Multi-Use Moreton Bay Marine Park

Marine protected areas (MPAs) have been implemented globally to protect marine habitats and enhance biodiversity, often displacing commercial and recreational fishing activities previously occurring in the area. While the ecological impacts of MPAs have been the subject of considerable attention, the economic impacts on the displaced sectors have generally received less consideration. In this study, we examine the impacts of increasing the proportion of fully protected area within a coastal MPA—the Moreton Bay Marine Park in Queensland, Australia—on the economic performance of the fisheries operating in the area. This MPA is relatively unique as it is located adjacent to a major metropolitan area and, hence, heavily used for a range of activities. Analysis of commercial catch data suggests that the commercial fishery has been less impacted than expected by the loss of available area, although this result varies by species. Comparing fishing activity in the Bay with that in adjacent regions (assumed to reflect the counterfactual), we find evidence of strong improvements in fishery performance of the prawn trawl fleet, no significant change in fish net and line fisheries, and a small but significant decline in the performance of crab fishers. The impact on recreational fishing is uncertain as other external factors obfuscate the impacts of the rezoning.