The political economy of fisheries reform

This chapter provides a basic overview of the key issues surrounding the political economy of fisheries reform. In broad terms, a political economy framework describes how citizens or stakeholder groups and government interact in a hypothetical political market (Box 2.1). Governments are likely to be motivated by a number of factors such as ideological objectives, social welfare, the pursuit of economic efficiency, and the desire to retain office, and government policy decisions will reflect these complex objectives. Citizens (or stakeholders groups) signal their policy demand or preferences through various channels such as lobbying or voting choices. Political, legal and economic institutions will determine the limits and effectiveness of each stakeholder in achieving its objectives.