Sociocultural effects of a market-based fishery management program in the Florida Keys

Spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) represents one of the most lucrative fisher ies in the State of Florida, and a majority of the catch is landed in the F lorida Keys. Over the past three decades, the industry grew significantly, and by the end of the 1980s, state fishery managers agreed that the fishery was overextended In 1991, the Florida Legislature passed the Spiny Lobster Trap Certificate Program (LTC), created to stabilize the industry by reduc ing the total number of traps while allowing fishers to transfer trap certi ficates in a market-based system akin to individual transferable quotas. Da ta from a survey study suggest that a majority of the respondents are dissa tisfied with the LTC, which they view as transitory and unsustainable. The fishers' negative views are motivated by sociocultural changes in the fishi ng community. Managers need to consider modifications to the LTC and other such market-based programs to minimize sociocultural impacts and retain sma ll-scale fisher participation in such fisheries.