. 2022 Mar 15;70(1):79–96. doi: 10.1007/s00267-022-01607-w

Table 6.

Experts opinions on socio-economic criteria

Criteria	Industry Group	Scientific group
Profit	Fishing association (1): “The profitability of the business is the key to long-term success”. Producer (2): “Long term sustainability of stocks will flow from long term industry investment which provides customers with a stable supply of product Fishing association (2): “Everything is growing more expensive so profits going up, helps that”. Industry advisory (1): “Increasing profit and local employment serve the need of keeping the activities thriving and attract people into the sector. Fisheries are historically very important for coastal communities and helped to build them as they are now” so profits up would help that”. Skipper (1): “Not worth being here if operating at a loss”. Skipper (2): “All of the criteria just need improvement”.	Scientific advisory (1): “Each (profit, employment, export) are important criterion but should not individually be the main driver”. Scientific advisory (2): “Without real profitability and jobs the fishery cannot prosper. But that cannot come at the expense of the ecosystem, because that will reduce long term profitability of the fishery”. Academic (1): “The profit and employment criteria have to be balanced with each other to maintain overall economic and social sustainability”. Academic (2): “Profit ultimately sustains the operation of the fishery and an increase allows for longer term planning”. Scientific advisory (3): “None of these drive fisheries management decision making, the key issue is minimum sustainable whinge”. Scientific advisory (4): “Increasing profit does not often equate with sustainability”.
Employment	Fishing association (1): “Employment strategy is the focus of government”. Producer (1): “The catching sector should be supporting the local fishing communities as they are temporary custodians of the fishery resources and they rely on the onshore sector to support their activities”. Fishing association (2): “Employment, attracts more people so less poverty so more jobs”.	Academic (2): “Increasing local employment maintains and strengthens the link between the fishery and the community which drives sustainability”.
Export	Fishing association (1): “The export strategy of the company is created with an eye on profitability”. Producer (1): “We have no direct interest in exporting”. Fishing association (2): “The world’s demand for fish is growing increase exports are needed to meet this demand”.	Academic (1): “Increasing export is more problematical-e.g., many regional fisheries supply UK markets to varying degrees. There are substantial sub-regional variations in terms of species caught, technology (boat and gear), local and export markets, levels of direct employment, relationship with the shore industry, notably procession and transport, and overall location which reflects the inter-relationships of these factors”. Academic (2): “Increasing exports grows the market for produce but an overreliance brings its own problems”.

Criteria

Industry Group

Scientific group

Profit

Fishing association (1): “The profitability of the business is the key to long-term success”.

Producer (2): “Long term sustainability of stocks will flow from long term industry investment which provides customers with a stable supply of product

Fishing association (2): “Everything is growing more expensive so profits going up, helps that”.

Industry advisory (1): “Increasing profit and local employment serve the need of keeping the activities thriving and attract people into the sector. Fisheries are historically very important for coastal communities and helped to build them as they are now”

so profits up would help that”.

Skipper (1): “Not worth being here if operating at a loss”.

Skipper (2): “All of the criteria just need improvement”.

Scientific advisory (1): “Each (profit, employment, export) are important criterion but should not individually be the main driver”.

Scientific advisory (2): “Without real profitability and jobs the fishery cannot prosper. But that cannot come at the expense of the ecosystem, because that will reduce long term profitability of the fishery”.

Academic (1): “The profit and employment criteria have to be balanced with each other to maintain overall economic and social sustainability”.

Academic (2): “Profit ultimately sustains the operation of the fishery and an increase allows for longer term planning”.

Scientific advisory (3): “None of these drive fisheries management decision making, the key issue is minimum sustainable whinge”.

Scientific advisory (4): “Increasing profit does not often equate with sustainability”.

Employment

Fishing association (1): “Employment strategy is the focus of government”.

Producer (1): “The catching sector should be supporting the local fishing communities as they are temporary custodians of the fishery resources and they rely on the onshore sector to support their activities”.

Fishing association (2): “Employment, attracts more people so less poverty so more jobs”.

Academic (2): “Increasing local employment maintains and strengthens the link between the fishery and the community which drives sustainability”.

Export

Fishing association (1): “The export strategy of the company is created with an eye on profitability”.

Producer (1): “We have no direct interest in exporting”.

Fishing association (2): “The world’s demand for fish is growing increase exports are needed to meet this demand”.

Academic (1): “Increasing export is more problematical-e.g., many regional fisheries supply UK markets to varying degrees. There are substantial sub-regional variations in terms of species caught, technology (boat and gear), local and export markets, levels of direct employment, relationship with the shore industry, notably procession and transport, and overall location which reflects the inter-relationships of these factors”.

Academic (2): “Increasing exports grows the market for produce but an overreliance brings its own problems”.