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Shark Hunting: International Trade and the Imminent Extinction of Heterogeneous Species

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  • Erhardt, Tobias
  • Weder, Rolf

Abstract

This paper examines the unprecedented decimation of sharks. We develop a Ricardian Gordon-Schaefer model with a continuum of heterogeneous species which are subject to combined harvesting and perfect substitutability in consumption. The model implies that slow-growing species, surviving in autarky, will be driven to extinction in an open trade regime. In the empirical analysis, we show that the model is in line with observations of shark biology and the international shark market. In particular, the likelihood of extinction turns out to be significantly greater for shark species which are part of trade in shark fins and exhibit low intrinsic growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Erhardt, Tobias & Weder, Rolf, 2015. "Shark Hunting: International Trade and the Imminent Extinction of Heterogeneous Species," Working papers 2015/07, Faculty of Business and Economics - University of Basel.
    • Handle: RePEc:bsl:wpaper:2015/07
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Allen, Robert C. & Keay, Ian, 2004. "Saving the Whales: Lessons from the Extinction of the Eastern Arctic Bowhead," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 64(2), pages 400-432, June.
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    7. Richard Williams, 2006. "Generalized ordered logit/partial proportional odds models for ordinal dependent variables," Stata Journal, StataCorp LLC, vol. 6(1), pages 58-82, March.
    8. M. Scott Taylor, 2009. "Innis Lecture: Environmental crises: past, present, and future," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 42(4), pages 1240-1275, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Eisenbarth, Sabrina, 2022. "Do exports of renewable resources lead to resource depletion? Evidence from fisheries," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • F18 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade and Environment
    • Q27 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Issues in International Trade
    • Q57 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Ecological Economics

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