Effort Dynamics and Alternative Management Policies: The Case of the West Coast Zone B Trawl Fishery in Peninsular Malaysia

The marine fishery resources in the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia are overexploited by fishing effort by the trawlers. The encroachment of trawlers to the near-shore fishery and conflict between traditional fishers and trawlers still exists, although a licensing system was imposed by trawl fishery management. The dynamics of fishing effort with various alternative management policies was analyzed, and the proper combination of the management policies was selected in order to control overcapacity by the trawlers and provide sustainable management of the trawl fishing industry. System simulation analysis was carried out to determine effort dynamics and the performance of the industry. The results indicated that, the management policy, including the combination of reducing 50% of licenses issued in 2012 coupled with a decreasing fuel price subsidy and increasing landings charges, could be the proposed management policy for the sustainable management of Zone B trawlers in the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia.