Catch Shares Around the World

As of 2012, 188 catch share programs exist worldwide, incorporating over 500 different species in 33 countries. The number of catch share programs has increased over time as more fisheries in more countries convert to rights-based management. Catch shares include Individual Quotas, Individual Transferable Quotas, Individual Vessel Quotas, Cooperatives, and Territorial Use Rights for Fishing (TURFs) with catch limits. Catch share programs cover a variety of species, including groundfish, reef fish, highly migratory finfish, sharks, crustaceans, and mollusks.