Work

Hedonic price model of Hawaiʻi ʻAhi Tuna (Thunnus obesus and Thunnus albacares) market: Implications of climate change and shark depredation

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: In Hawaiʻi, the prices of ʻahi tuna, i.e., bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) and yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares), are influenced by numerous factors. This study utilizes a hedonic price model to estimate tuna price using fish characteristics, trip-specific information, daily market conditions, foreign imports, individual seller effects, and time effects. Sea surface temperature (SST) at the fishing location and trip length are used as proxies for fish quality. Higher SST and longer trip length are associated with lower fish prices, reflecting their negative impact on quality. The study provides important implications of climate change on future tuna prices in Hawaiʻi. In addition to higher SST, climate change impacts on tuna habitat, leading to increased vessel travel distances; climate-induced reductions in tuna body size; and climate effects on tuna abundance, biomass, spatial distribution, and catchability, which affect daily supply—all have significant effects on tuna prices. The study also estimates the price impact of shark depredation and assesses its negative effect on revenue.

Source: PLOS Climate

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000595

Authors: Hing Ling Chan, Donald Kobayashi, Justin Suca

Institutions: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

Language: English

Topic: Marine and fisheries research

Subfield: Global and Planetary Change

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Life below water

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,496