Bycatch reduction impacts on the shrimp harvesting and consumer sectors inthe Gulf of Mexico

The economic costs of the policy requiring bycatch reduction devices (BRD) on the shrimp harvesting sector and consumer sectors in the Gulf of Mexico were analyzed using simulation modeling. Three survival rates of shrimp tha t escape from the fisheye BRD (Penaeus duorarum, P. aztecus, and P. setifer us) were used. As the survival rate of shrimp lost through the fisheye BRD decreased, gulfwide losses, in terms of changes in producer and consumer su rplus from the base simulation. increased significantly. The most likely sc enarios that represent the Gulf shrimp fishery are survival rates of 50% an d 0%. Under 50% and 0% survival of shrimp that escape, the impact of BRDs i n the Gulf of Mexico in terms of total economic losses to society ranges fr om $44.9 million to $65.7 million. The simulation shows that BRD policy has a negative impact on shrimp fishermen with 35-year present value rent rang ing from US$11.5 million ro $15.2 million.