Heterogeneous and correlated risk preferences in commercial fishermen: The perfect storm dilemma

Journal Article

Commercial fishing involves both physical and financial risks. This combination questions whether fishermen are inherently risk-loving, whether physical and financial risk preferences are correlated, and how much preferences vary across fishermen. This paper addresses these questions with a panel data set of daily participation decisions in the California sea urchin dive fishery. Weather buoy data and the prevalence of great white sharks at a particular fishing site proxy for physical risk. Overall, urchin fishermen are not risk-loving on average, risk preferences are heterogeneous, and there is some evidence that risk preferences are positively correlated across physical and financial domains. © 2005 Springer Science + Business Media, Inc.

Full Text

Duke Authors

Cited Authors

  • Smith, MD; Wilen, JE

Published Date

  • 2005

Published In

Volume / Issue

  • 31 / 1

Start / End Page

  • 53 - 71

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0895-5646

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1007/s11166-005-2930-7