Browsing by Author "van Senten, Jonathan"

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    Alabama Baitfish and Sportfish Regulatory Costs
    van Senten, Jonathan (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2017-04-10)
    Provides information about the cost of regulations to the baitfish and sportfish industry in Alabama.
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    Arkansas Baitfish and Sportfish Regulatory Costs
    van Senten, Jonathan (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2017-04-12)
    Provides information about the cost of regulations to the baitfish and sportfish industry in Arkansas.
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    Assessing consumer perceptions, attitudes, knowledge and barriers towards consumption of captured and cultured seafood in Virginia and Maryland
    Villalba, Abigail; van Senten, Jonathan; Haugen, Inga; Liu, Catherine; Cole, Austin (2020-03-05)
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    Assessing Economic Contributions of the Virginia Seafood Industry: An Estimation Framework Utilizing Primary Data
    Gonçalves, Fernando H.; van Senten, Jonathan; Schwarz, Michael H.; Hegde, Shraddha (MDPI, 2024-05-26)
    With a focus on seafood industries, this study provides a framework for economic contribution assessments, outlines Virginia’s seafood supply chain components, and evaluates the direct, indirect, and induced economic impacts of Virginia’s seafood industry in 2019. Utilizing an analysis-by-parts method in IMPLAN, primary expenditure data from watermen, aquaculture farmers, processors, and distributors were collected through surveys. The efficacy of obtaining primary data through stakeholder surveys heavily relies on the investigator’s interpersonal skills to establish trust and elucidate the study’s benefits, particularly its potential to inform policy decisions. In 2019, the Virginia seafood industry’s estimated total economic contributions amounted to USD 1.1 billion, supporting 7187 individuals. This impact encompasses 6050 direct jobs, 523 indirect jobs, and 614 induced jobs, primarily benefiting watermen and coastal communities. Furthermore, the industry’s influence extends beyond its immediate economic sphere, supporting diverse sectors such as polystyrene foam manufacturing, boat building, sporting and athletic goods, and commercial and industrial machinery. Wages and salaries disbursed throughout the seafood supply chain ripple to Virginia’s economy, benefiting nondepository credit intermediation, owner-occupied dwellings, and real estate sectors. Future research focusing on seafood sales in restaurants and retail outlets will complete the understanding of the seafood industry’s broader economic impact on the state.
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    Characterization of supply of marine finfish species with potential for commercial growth in the United States
    Engle, Carole R.; van Senten, Jonathan; Schwarz, Michael H. (Wiley, 2022-10-12)
    Global production of marine finfish has grown in total volume of production and the number of species farmed commercially, but there has been little production in the United States of marine finfish other than salmon and red drum. For most species considered to be ready for commercialization, there are few or no farms from which to evaluate the size of the market or to estimate revenues and costs necessary to assess economic feasibility. This present study takes a first step to fill this gap with an analysis of the existing supply of 20 marine finfish species identified as candidates for commercialization in the United States, as a proxy for effective demand (the volume of a product sold at the market equilibrium price). Secondary data from 1950 (where available) through 2019 were compiled on each species, including (1) global aquaculture production, (2) US aquaculture production, (3) US commercial landings, (4) US recreational landings, and (5) imports. Current effective market demand (measured as the sum of commercial landings, farmed production, and imports) was low, totaling 36.6 million kg across the 20 species, which is equivalent to less than 23% of the annual volume sold of US farmed catfish. Commercial landings for 17 of the 20 species exhibited declines, potentially offering opportunities for farmed product to capture market share by filling the increasing gaps in supply. The variability in commercial landings provides opportunities for farms to capitalize on their advantage in supplying product with a high degree of consistency of volume, size, delivery frequency, and quality. Several unknown factors suggest the need for follow-up studies on consumer preferences, degree of substitutability among finfish species, and effects of recreational landings on demand. An important limitation to prospective producers is the lack of species-specific import data for the generic categories of “flounder,” “bass,” and “snapper.” This supply analysis provides a foundational analysis for prospective producers, investors, and researchers interested in commercialization of these marine species.
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    Cormorant predation of commercial catfish aquaculture in the Mississippi Delta
    Christie, Terrel; Door, Brian; Roy, Luke A.; Kelly, Anita M.; Engle, Carole R.; Burr, Paul; Davis, Brian; van Senten, Jonathan (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2020)
    Cormorants are efficient fish eating birds that will eat about one pound of fish per day. In the Delta, commercially produced catfish make up and average of 33% of a cormorant's diet.
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    Cost of regulations on US catfish farms
    Hegde, Shraddha; Kumar, Ganesh; Engle, Carole; van Senten, Jonathan (Wiley, 2022-07-14)
    Understanding the economic effects of regulations on US aquaculture farms provides insights into which compliance costs create the greatest compliance burden on farms. This can further guide strategies to improve the efficiency of regulatory frameworks and potentially reduce on-farm compliance costs while maintaining adequate oversight. This study estimated the regulatory compliance burden on US catfish farms as part of a national effort to quantify the cost of regulations on US aquaculture farms. Completed survey interviews of catfish farms in the major catfish-producing states covered 63% of the total US catfish production area. Total regulatory costs of the US catfish industry were estimated at $45 million annually. Lost farm revenues (measured as the value of lost production, the value of markets lost from regulations, and the value of business opportunities lost because of regulations) were estimated to be $35 million per annum. Catfish-producing states outside the Alabama/Arkansas/Mississippi region had the highest ($2856/ha) and Alabama the lowest ($1127/ha) regulatory costs per hectare among the surveyed states. The greatest regulatory cost burden on catfish farms ($18 million) was caused by environmental regulations related mostly to the management of federally protected piscivorous migratory birds, followed by labor regulations ($12 million), and taxes/insurance ($7 million). Regulatory costs ($/kg) were 2.6 times higher on smaller (<80 ha) farms relative to larger (>300 ha) farms. Attention is needed to identify alternative regulatory frameworks that provide the same degree of regulatory oversight but are more cost-efficient.
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    Costs of Regulations on Baitfish/Sportfish Farms: What Will it be for Trout?
    Engle, Carole R.; van Senten, Jonathan (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2017-01-30)
    Examines how regulations effect costs of producing trout on baitfish and sportfish farms.
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    The Costs of Regulations on US Baitfish and Sportfish Producers
    van Senten, Jonathan; Engle, Carole R. (Wiley-Blackwell, 2017-03-23)
    The US regulatory environment has been characterized as complex due to the greater than 1300 laws promulgated at local, state, and federal levels. Recent declines in the growth rate of US aquaculture have been attributed, in part, to a complex, overlapping, and inefficient regulatory framework. This study is the first to examine this question by quantifying the farm‐level regulatory burden and its economic effects in an aquaculture industry sector. A survey was conducted of baitfish and sportfish producers in the 13 major production states in the USA to identify the direct and indirect costs of regulation on producers. Survey responses captured 74% of the national volume of baitfish and sportfish production. The data revealed that only 1% of total regulatory costs are direct costs of regulation, such as license and permit fees, while 99% of the costs are due to manpower used for compliance, farm changes to remain in compliance, and sales lost without replacement. Costs due to regulations varied across states and farm sizes. Across all respondents, average total regulatory costs were found to be $148,554/farm, or $7383/ha. The farm‐level cost to the US baitfish and sportfish industry was estimated to be in excess of $12 million. On 38% of the farms, the cost of regulations exceeded the value of profits on baitfish and sportfish farms. Our findings confirm previous reports of the complexity of the regulatory environment. Results show that the total regulatory burden has increased farm‐level costs and restricted access to markets, thereby reducing profitability and contributing to reduced growth of the US baitfish and sportfish industry.
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    Economic contributions of the Virginia seafood industry
    Gonçalves, Fernando Henrique; van Senten, Jonathan; Schwarz, Michael; Hegde, Shraddha (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2022-11-04)
    The economic benefits of the seafood supply chain to the overall state economy demonstrate the magnitude and reach of the Virginia seafood industry. Watermen, aquaculture farmers, processors, and distributors sustain jobs and support other economic sectors operating within and beyond our Commonwealth that amplify their contribution to our economy. This study measured the combined impact of the different levels of the seafood supply chain on the Virginia Commonwealth’s economy.
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    The effects of regulations on efficiency of U.S. baitfish and sportfish producers
    van Senten, Jonathan; Engle, Carole R.; Dey, Madan M. (2018-01-20)
    The stringency of the regulatory environment has been shown to negatively affect the growth of aquaculture. A technical efficiency analysis of baitfish/sportfish production in the United States was performed using a stochastic production frontier model and a jointly estimated maximum-likelihood procedure (Frontier 4.1). Determinants of inefficiency were assessed for their relationship to farm efficiency. Mean technical efficiency for U.S. baitfish and sportfish producers was found to be 77%. Several regulatory variables were found to be significant in explaining the variation in levels of efficiency, including the number of annual renewals of permits and licenses and the amount of manpower required to comply with regulations. Results support the hypothesis that the current regulatory environment in the United States has reduced efficiency and economic competitiveness of baitfish and sportfish producers.
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    Enterprise Budgets for Trout Production in Idaho
    Engle, Carole R.; van Senten, Jonathan; Jonathan van Senten; Fornshell, Gary (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2021-02-05)
    Idaho is the leading trout-producing state in the U.S. In 2018, Idaho produced 56% of the national production of foodsized trout (27.6 million pounds) (USDA-NASS 2019). This fact sheet focuses on costs of producing trout for foodfish. An enterprise budget can be useful to provide a general estimate of average costs, returns, profitability, and breakeven prices (costs per lb of production) of a farm. It should be viewed as a guide in terms of what types of expenses are likely to occur and, for an average year, whether the trout business would be expected to be profitable or not.
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    Farm-Level Cost Drivers of Salmonid Fish Health Inspections
    Engle, Carole; van Senten, Jonathan; Schwarz, Michael H.; Hartman, Kathleen; Gustafson, Lori; Johnson, Kamina; Creekmore, Lynn (2021-10-22)
    Regulatory costs on aquaculture farms have been shown to be of a magnitude that warrants additional analysis. The drivers of farm-level costs of fish health inspections were identified in this study from national survey data on U.S. salmonid farms. The greatest costs identified were related primarily to state fish health requirements for inspection and testing to certify that fish are free of specific pathogens prior to approval of necessary permits to sell and/or transport animals. Fish health inspection costs included laboratory testing, farm personnel time, veterinary fees, and shipping samples to laboratories, with laboratory testing and the value of farm personnel time being the most expensive components. Principal cost drivers were the number of tests and whether required sampling was farmwide or for each lot as identified by the collector. Farmers who primarily sold into recreational markets had greater fish health costs than farmers who primarily sold food fish because of the greater numbers of species and size-/age-classes of salmonids on their farms. Regulatory requirements to test all species and size-/age-classes on farms increased inspection costs by increasing the total number of tests, the total value of fish sacrificed, and shipping costs. Consequently, for farms with more than one species or more than one size-/age-class, annual farm-level testing was less costly than annual lot-based testing. Increased numbers of tests in a given year, although reported by only a few respondents, can increase costs dramatically and turn profitable farms unprofitable, even food fish farms. Smaller salmonid farms experienced disproportionately greater inspection cost burdens than did larger farms. The fish health inspection scenario of only one annual inspection of only the most susceptible species and size-/age-class showed a cost burden that did not generate economic distress, even on smaller salmonid farms. Other scenarios modeled (based on survey data) that included lot-based surveys of multiple species and size-/age-classes resulted in substantially greater fish health inspection costs that led to unprofitability for various farm sizes and business types. Study results suggest that implementing Comprehensive Aquaculture Health Program Standards might allow for risk- and pathogen-based reductions in the total number of inspections and fish sampled while maintaining equivalent or greater health status compared to current methods. American Fisheries Society-Fish Health Section Blue Book inspection methods are interpreted and applied inconsistently across states and generally yield lot- rather than farm-level health attestations because the history of testing results, risk assessment, and biosecurity practices are not typically taken into account. The cost effects of alternative fish health sampling and testing requirements should be considered in decisions and policy on fish health regulation.
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    Florida, Illinois, Texas and Kansas Baitfish and Sportfish Regulatory Costs
    van Senten, Jonathan (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2017-04-12)
    Provides information about the cost of regulations to the baitfish and sportfish industry in Florida, Illinois, Kansas and Texas.
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    Great Lakes Region Baitfish and Sportfish Regulatory Costs
    van Senten, Jonathan (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2017-04-24)
    Provides information about the cost of regulations to the baitfish and sportfish industry in the Great Lakes region.
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    Has the Regulatory Compliance Burden Reduced Competitiveness of the U.S. Tilapia Industry?
    Engle, Carole R.; van Senten, Jonathan; Clark, Charles; Boldt, Noah (MDPI, 2023-03-02)
    Emerging research on aquaculture governance has pointed to the conundrum of negative global environmental effects from economic incentives for aquaculture production to shift from more highly regulated to less regulated countries. This study has focused on examining whether regulatory costs on U.S. tilapia farms may have contributed to their contraction in contrast to the growth of global tilapia production that contributes to the volume of seafood imports into the U.S. A national survey (coverage rate = 75% of tilapia sold; response rate = 18%) found that on-farm regulatory costs accounted for 15% of total production costs on U.S. tilapia farms, the fifth-highest cost of production. The total direct regulatory costs nationally were $4.4 million, averaging $137,611/farm. Most problematic were regulations of effluent discharge, predatory bird control, international export, and water and energy policies. Manpower costs for monitoring and reporting were the greatest cost of regulatory compliance. The lost sales revenue resulting from regulations was $32 million a year, or 82% of total annual sales, indicating that the regulatory framework has constrained the growth of U.S. tilapia farming. The smallest tilapia farms had the greatest regulatory cost per kg. This study provides evidence that regulatory costs, along with other challenges related to live fish markets, have contributed to the decline in U.S. tilapia production. Increased competitiveness of the U.S. tilapia industry will require a combination of: (1) improved regulatory efficiency that reduces on-farm cost burdens without reducing societal benefits; (2) research and on-farm extension assistance to evaluate new tilapia fillet equipment; and (3) research on changing consumer preferences to provide guidance on effective strategies to penetrate the large U.S. fillet market.
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    Impact of Oyster Aquaculture in Virginia on Waterfront Property Values
    Stump, Katherine Alice (Virginia Tech, 2019-07-18)
    Virginia is the east coast's largest producer of eastern oysters and produces more than any other state. As the industry grows to meet increasing demand, more conflicts have arisen with other resource users, especially waterfront property owners. Some landowners claim oysters impact recreational and aesthetic uses of their property, therefore lowering the value of the home. Using a hedonic property value model, this study examines the effect of oyster aquaculture on waterfront properties by using 2,245 property sales from 16 counties and independent cities and information on aquaculture activity from 2012-2016. The results suggest that oyster aquaculture has a positive effect on waterfront property values, but a negative effect when using cage equipment.
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    Impacts of COVID-19 on U.S. aquaculture allied business: Quarter 1 Results March 23, 2020 to April 10, 2020
    Engle, Carole R.; van Senten, Jonathan; Smith, Matthew A.; Clark, Charles; Fluharty, Shannon; Schwarz, Michael H. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2021-01-12)
    In response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Virginia Tech and the Ohio State University collected information about how aquaculture/aquaponics farms and allied businesses have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey was conducted at the conclusion of the first quarter of 2020 to capture and quantify these impacts and effects. The survey will be distributed once per quarter throughout 2020, to capture the evolving effects of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on your farm or business. This publication summarizes the first set of results for the 1st quarter of 2020.
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    Impacts of COVID-19 on U.S. aquaculture, aquaponics, and allied businesses located in the USDA North Central Aquaculture Region: Quarter 1 Results March 23, 2020 to April 10, 2020
    Engle, Carole R.; van Senten, Jonathan; Smith, Matthew A.; Clark, Charles; Fluharty, Shannon; Schwarz, Michael H. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2021-01-13)
    In response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Virginia Tech and the Ohio State University collected information about how aquaculture/aquaponics farms and allied businesses have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey was conducted at the conclusion of the first quarter of 2020 to capture and quantify these impacts and effects. The survey will be distributed once per quarter throughout 2020, to capture the evolving effects of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on your farm or business. This publication summarizes the first set of results for the 1st quarter of 2020.
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    Impacts of COVID-19 on U.S. aquaculture, aquaponics, and allied businesses located in the USDA Tropical and Subtropical Aquaculture Region: Quarter 1 Results March 23, 2020 to April 10, 2020
    Engle, Carole R.; van Senten, Jonathan; Smith, Matthew A.; Clark, Charles; Fluharty, Shannon; Schwarz, Michael H. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2021-01-14)
    In response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Virginia Tech and the Ohio State University collected information about how aquaculture/aquaponics farms and allied businesses have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey was conducted at the conclusion of the first quarter of 2020 to capture and quantify these impacts and effects. The survey will be distributed once per quarter throughout 2020, to capture the evolving effects of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on your farm or business. This publication summarizes the first set of results for the 1st quarter of 2020.