Koss project abstract in this proposal, I describe a two-year project investigating commercial fishing effort adaptation to climate shocks using network theory for fisheries in the U.S. Pacific and…

Koss project abstract in this proposal, I describe a two-year project investigating commercial fishing effort adaptation to climate shocks using network theory for fisheries in the U.S. Pacific and north pacific regions. IT is well known that fishers diversify fishing effort across fisheries to mitigate risks associated with climate change. Previous research has focused on effort diversification along the extensive margin, whereby fishers choose to participate (or not to participate) in one or more fisheries. Such decisions include the choice of which fisheries to participate in, whether to temporarily or permanently exit a fishery or the fishing industry, and whether to supplement fishing with other income. Less attention has been given to understanding diversification along the intensive margin, whereby fishers choose the degree of effort in each of the fisheries they are participating in. Ignoring diversification along the intensive margin obscures an important adaptation mechanism of fishers and renders our comprehension of their adaptive capacity incomplete. This research has three objectives: (1) to further our understanding of how fisheries are connected along the intensive and extensive margins to inform climate-ready fishery management decisions in the pacific and north pacific regions; (2) to develop a novel quantitative tool using network theory to analyze changes in fishing effort diversification across fisheries; and (3) to gain insight into potential fishers behavioral responses to climate change. I will apply my proposed research approach to investigate effort diversification and climate shocks in state and federal fisheries in the U.S. Pacific and north pacific regions, leveraging a comprehensive database of commercial fishing landings. In addition to my dissertation committee, DRS. James sanchirico and matthew reimer, DR. Daniel LEW at the alaska fisheries science center will also be an advisor on this project; his experience with investigating cross-fishery participation using network theory will offer valuable guidance to this project. This work will contribute to both the literature on network theory and on the resilience of fishing communities in both regions, as well as provide additional scientific information to inform climate-ready fishery policy in the united states.