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Quota systems and resource management: Icelandic fishing
by Gísli Pálsson and Agnar Helgason
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The Distribution Of ITQs From 1991 To 1994
  The data presented in the previous section provide a clear indication of the changes taking place in the distribution of fishing rights from 1984. However, while they are conclusive for the period before 1991, they only relate a part of the story for the ensuing years. The consequential fisheries management legislation of 1990 resulted in the inclusion of 704 new small-scale ITQ-holders not included in the analysis presented above. Figure 4 shows changes in the total number of ITQ holders after 1990, using the same four groups as before, defined in the same way -- but now including all ITQ holders. What is perhaps most striking here is the sizeable reduction (26%) during this four year period in the total number of ITQ holders, from 1155 to 855. This drop is most marked in 1991, but appears to gradually slow down with each consecutive year. Moreover, while the number of 'giants' increases substantially, all other groups diminish in number -- the most notable case being that of the 'dwarves', who fall by 254 in four years (a drop of 26,7%). These results seem to match the findings presented in the previous section. Notably, however, the rate of drop-outs during this period is significantly higher, especially among the 'dwarves'. This would appear to substantiate our earlier interpretation of the changing form of the concentration of ITQs. There we noted that the reduction in the number of ITQ holders seemed to slow down after 1990. It is apparent, however, that this trend really masked a much more marked decrease in the ranks of the new ITQ holders that were excluded from the analysis in the previous section. The operators of 6-10 ton boats, then, appear to have been selling their newly commoditiced fishing rights en masse as soon as 1991, something that is manifest in the growth of the 'giants'' ITQ shares. Significantly, while the aggregate ITQ-share of the 6-10 ton boats amounted to approximately 9% of the total ITQs in 1991, it had decreased to 4.6% four years later in 1994.As before, the reduction in the number of ITQ holders indicates an increased concentration of fishing rights among those that remain. The 'giants' almost double their share of the ITQs over the four year period. Conversely, the ITQ shares of all other groups diminish. If we combine the data presented, it emerges that the 'giants'' average share goes from 1.60% in 1991 to 1.82% in 1994, even though they are the only group to increase in number. However, the average ITQ shares of 'dwarves' and 'small' ITQ holders remain almost constant, while that of the 'large' ITQ holders decreases slightly, from 0.56% to 0.51%.
   
   
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Quota systems and resource management: Icelandic fishing,
by Gísli Pálsson and Agnar Helgason . http://www.thearctic.is
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