Shifting demand to sustainable fishing practices in Darwin's Archipelago: a discrete choice experiment application for Galapagos' certified Yellow-fin tuna

In spite of several policies to promote fisheries management in the Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR), in the past there has been a collapse or near collapse of the two most important fisheries: the sea cucumber and the lobster fishery respectively. Currently, there is particular concern for the Galapagos Sailfin Grouper (Mycteroperca olfax), a regionally endemic species showing signs of severe decline and targeted by the white-fin fishery, a multi-species coastal fishery of high market value. Within this context, the Galapagos National Park Directorate (GNPD) and local NGOs have designed a policy consistent in a product certification scheme aiming to shift fishing efforts from depleted coastal fisheries to healthier pelagic stocks, whilst supporting artisanal fisher's livelihoods. Using a discrete choice experiment and accompanying survey data, the goal of this research is to analyze the preferences and tradeoffs made by individuals across attributes when purchasing certified fish in the Galapagos. In particular, we account for pro-environmental attitudes within a WTP space model specification and estimate the expected price premiums that tourists would be willing to pay for yellowfin tuna in the area in light of specific characteristics of its local value chain. We find that tourists visiting the Galapagos hold pro environmental attitudes as measured by the New-ecological paradigm and that there is a considerable increase in consumer's utility from a certification scheme. Tourists care about the level of bycatch associated with their consumption, food safety, quality, and whether is locally sourced, and would be willing to pay for these attributes. This evidence, driven by location specific characteristics of consumers and tourists, supports the design of market-based mechanisms for sustainable yellow fin tuna fisheries in the Galapagos

Automated summary

This study analyzes the preferences and tradeoffs made by tourists when purchasing certified fish in the Galapagos, finding that tourists prioritize environmental concerns and personal preferences when considering buying yellowfin tuna, and are willing to pay extra for products that are healthier, safer, higher quality, and locally sourced.