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Abstract
This study presents an optimal control model of the Banana Northern Prawn Fishery, one of
the most important fisheries in Australia. The life cycle of this species involves migration
between the sea, where the catch takes place, and the estuary, where post-larvae and juveniles
develop. The model combines a stage-matrix population dynamics model and an economic
model of sustainable catch. The controls involve the amount of effort allowed and the length
of the fishing season. Life stages are defined in terms of prawn size, allowing catch revenue
to be adjusted to the expected proportion of specific sized classes caught in a particular
month of the year, hence providing a more realistic projection of profits when price is
influenced by size. The model is calibrated based on 18 years of detailed catch data.