118


 290

 280

 S 270

 S 260
 -0
 I 250

 240

 230
 Proportionate
 S' I ,' I I Increase in
 0 .05 .10 .15 .20 .25 .30 Fishing Power
 Components


 Figure 15. Optimum number of standardized vessels correspond-
 ing to maximum economic yield for increasing levels
 of average fishing power


economic yield to 158, When standardized by the fishing power index,

however, this level of nominal vessels translates to approximately 287

standardized vessels, Thus, the decline in nominal vessel numbers is

more than offset by increases in fishing power resulting in an increase

in effective fishing effort.

 This relationship between standardized vessels and fishing power in

the reef fishery model is significant in regards to managing the fishery.

Standardized vessels are "effective" vessels in terms of fishing power

and they greatly differ from the nominal number of vessels. This

suggests that management measures aimed at attaining maximum economic

yield through restrictions on vessel numbers alone may be ineffective.

If restrictions on vessel numbers leads to increasing average fishing

power per vessel, the fishery will move away from an MEY position even