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IntroductionVictims of interpersonal violence in sports show various mental health concerns. However, no studies have quantitatively examined their primary complaints, considering psychological symptoms such as denial of self-concept and interpersonal challenges not captured by conventional post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Recently, an association between interpersonal violence victimization and complex PTSD (CPTSD) has been noted in Japanese sports coaching situations, specifically for extracurricular sports activities. This study aimed to examine the applicability of the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) and determine whether interpersonal violence victimization and related risk factors predicted PTSD and CPTSD in extracurricular sports activities in Japan.MethodsThis study included 651 adults aged 18–25 who had previously participated in extracurricular sports activities in junior high and high school. The ITQ was examined using confirmatory factor analysis with maximum likelihood with robust standard errors, fit indices comparisons, a graded response model, differential item functioning, and rank correlation designs. A binomial logistic regression model with robust standard errors examined the association of PTSD and CPTSD with interpersonal violence victimization and related risk factors.ResultsThe optimal factor structure, measurement precision, and validity of the ITQ were confirmed. Physical and psychological violence victimization and the ITQ were positively correlated with PTSD, difficulties in emotion regulation, self-disgust, and interpersonal problems subscales, respectively. A high frequency of psychological and physical violence victimization experiences and self-identified LGB (lesbian, gay, or bisexual) were associated with PTSD and CPTSD diagnosability. Additionally, being a woman and in school life away from parents were associated solely with PTSD diagnosability.DiscussionThis is the first quantitative study to examine CPTSD in a study on interpersonal violence in sports. Our findings can provide insights into desirable victim support and enhanced clinical care in interpersonal violence in a sports context.

The growing demand for food owing to population growth has led to an increased need for fishery resources. Governments worldwide have introduced individual transferable quota (ITQ) systems to manage the resource depletion crisis. However, grandfathered quotas are a potential rent for fisherpersons, leading to rent seeking through lobbying. This rent seeking could exacerbate the resource conservation function of the ITQ system. Even if stock levels are restored through ITQs, the fish processing industry discharges sewage during the production process, leading to resource deterioration. In the blue economy, where various economic actors are involved with the ocean, what measures should be implemented to achieve sustainable fisheries? To respond to this challenge, this study analyzes the effects of reduced catch quotas and fishing seasons on fishery resources, economic growth, and welfare in an R&D-based growth model with processed fish products, considering rent seeking for ITQs. Fish damage parameter measures the magnitude of the impact of fishing on stock deterioration. This parameter increase, catch quota reductions that initially promoted economic growth begin to harm stock recovery. Shortening the fishing season leads to a trade-off between economic growth and stock recovery and to deterioration of welfare. Hence, it is difficult to achieve a sustainable fishery by simply reducing ITQs and fishing seasons. This study suggests that, when counterintuitive measures are taken to raise the fishery damage parameter somewhat, lowering the substantial ITQ increases the likelihood of achieving a sustainable fishery.

Abstract Background The International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) is used to measure posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) symptoms, and the Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory-9 (PTCI-9) is used to measure posttraumatic cognitions. Both tools have been translated for use in Brazil. However, the psychometric properties of the Brazilian versions were not investigated, and no study has verified the invariance of these tools for many traumatic event types. Objective This study examined the validity, reliability, and measurement invariance of the Brazilian versions of the ITQ and the PTCI-9 for trauma type, gender, race, age group, education level, and geographical region. Methods A total of 2,111 people (67.74% women) participated in an online survey. The scale models were tested via confirmatory factor analyses and measurement invariance through multigroup analyses. Pearson’s correlation analyses were used to examine the relationships between PTSD, CPTSD, posttraumatic cognitions, and depressive symptoms. Results Except for the affective dysregulation factor, the reliabilities of the ITQ and PTCI-9 dimensions were adequate. Models with six correlated dimensions for the ITQ and three correlated dimensions for the PTCI-9 showed adequate fit to the data. The ITQ and PTCI-9 exhibited scalar invariance for gender, race, age group, education level, and geographical region. The ITQ also demonstrated full invariance for trauma type. The factors of both instruments were related to each other and to depressive symptoms, with higher effect sizes for posttraumatic cognitions and complex posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. Conclusion We recommend using the Brazilian versions of the ITQ and PTCI-9, which are crucial tools for assessing and treating trauma-related disorders.

Background: The International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) is used to measure posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) symptoms, and the Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory-9 (PTCI-9) is used to measure posttraumatic cognitions. Both tools have been translated for use in Brazil. However, the psychometric properties of the Brazilian versions were not investigated, and no study has verified the invariance of these tools for many traumatic event types. Objective: This study examined the validity, reliability, and measurement invariance of the Brazilian versions of the ITQ and the PTCI-9 for trauma type, gender, race, age group, education level, and geographical region. Methods: A total of 2,111 people (67.74% women) participated in an online survey. The scale models were tested via confirmatory factor analyses and measurement invariance through multigroup analyses. Pearson's correlation analyses were used to examine the relationships between PTSD, CPTSD, posttraumatic cognitions, and depressive symptoms. Results: Except for the affective dysregulation factor, the reliabilities of the ITQ and PTCI-9 dimensions were adequate. Models with six correlated dimensions for the ITQ and three correlated dimensions for the PTCI-9 showed adequate fit to the data. The ITQ and PTCI-9 exhibited scalar invariance for gender, race, age group, education level, and geographical region. The ITQ also demonstrated full invariance for trauma type. The factors of both instruments were related to each other and to depressive symptoms, with higher effect sizes for posttraumatic cognitions and complex posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. Conclusion: We recommend using the Brazilian versions of the ITQ and PTCI-9, which are crucial tools for assessing and treating trauma-related disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health professionals are regarded as important sources of information and guidance for healthy living. Knowing health determinants and risks, and invested with credibility in society, many struggle with their own human limits to apply these principles. A cross-sectional study was conducted among advanced medical students to assess their attitude towards recreational cannabis consumption, intention to use it, and their opinion of its legal status. Secondary objectives were to explore the relation of these primary outcomes to: (a) potentially addictive habits (such as smoking and drinking); (b) individuals' disturbances in self-organization (DSOs), defined in the ICD-11 as pervasive chronic effects of traumatic experiences or stressful events. An anonymous online questionnaire active in November 2022 collected data from 171 medical students, of which almost 56% were in favor of recreational cannabis legalization. In a logistic regression analysis, each additional point of own consumption intention (on a scale from 1 to 5) was found to increase the odds of a positive opinion of legalization by three times, when controlling for gender, age, smoking, drinking, onset age of smoking, and DSO: OR = 2.918, 95%CI (1.893–4.497). In conclusion, health professionals' personal beliefs and practices regarding substance use have a significant subjective component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Following the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, the well-being of millions of Ukrainians has been jeopardised. This study aims to translate and test the psychometric features of the Ukrainian version of the General Health Questionnaire 12 (GHQ-12). The study included Ukrainian refugees housed in Verona (Italy) between November/2022 and February/2023. The Ukrainian translation was obtained through a ‘forward-backward’ translation. Questionnaire was completed by 141 refugees (females: 78.7%). Median age was 36 years (IQR 23–43). Individuals with a score suggestive of psychological distress were 97 (68.8%). Cronbach’s coefficient was 0.84 (0.95CI 0.80–0.88). According to confirmatory factor analysis, both single- (modelB1) and two-factor (model B2) structures with bimodal scoring method fitted the data satisfactorily. The two factors of model B2 had a 0.88 correlation. Pearson coefficient showed a positive significant correlation between the GHQ-12 and International Trauma Questionnaire scores (ρ = 0.53, 0.95CI 0.40–0.64, p

Introduction: Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) has been recognized as a distinct disorder from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in the eleventh revision of the disease classification system (ICD-11). The international trauma Questionnaires have been developed to measure C-PTSD. This study was conducted to enhance the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the 18-item International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ-18 Items). Method: This research followed a descriptive-evaluative approach. The last version of ITQ was translated and back-translated, and its content validity was assessed through measurement and obtained above 0.70. The statistical population consisted of non-clinical married middle-aged women in the age range of 30 to 40 years who were registered in the comprehensive health services center electronic system of Bushehr province in the year 2022-2023. They responded to the questionnaires over a two-month period using a multistage cluster sampling method. To assess concurrent validity, the hospital anxiety and depression questionnaire along with adverse childhood experiences were used. The data were analyzed employing confirmatory factor analysis and correlation coefficient analysis. Results: Findings indicated that, considering SRMR=0.56, RMSEA=0.61, TLI=0.943, CFI=0.959, and BIC=21879.875, the optimal fit was found in the second-order two-factor model. A statistically significant positive relationship was found between CPTSD and clinical anxiety and depression (p<0.01). Additionally, adverse childhood experiences showed a correlation (p<0.01). Conclusion: According to the findings of the present study, it can be stated that the Persian version of the ITQ-18 Items, by the ICD-11, exhibits appropriate psychometric properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health professionals are regarded as important sources of information and guidance for healthy living. Knowing health determinants and risks, and invested with credibility in society, many struggle with their own human limits to apply these principles. A cross-sectional study was conducted among advanced medical students to assess their attitude towards recreational cannabis consumption, intention to use it, and their opinion of its legal status. Secondary objectives were to explore the relation of these primary outcomes to: (a) potentially addictive habits (such as smoking and drinking); (b) individuals’ disturbances in self-organization (DSOs), defined in the ICD-11 as pervasive chronic effects of traumatic experiences or stressful events. An anonymous online questionnaire active in November 2022 collected data from 171 medical students, of which almost 56% were in favor of recreational cannabis legalization. In a logistic regression analysis, each additional point of own consumption intention (on a scale from 1 to 5) was found to increase the odds of a positive opinion of legalization by three times, when controlling for gender, age, smoking, drinking, onset age of smoking, and DSO: OR = 2.918, 95%CI (1.893–4.497). In conclusion, health professionals’ personal beliefs and practices regarding substance use have a significant subjective component.

The snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) in the Barents Sea is an invasive species, first discovered in 1997. Since 2012, a commercial fishery has developed, and various management measures have been implemented. Despite fishing gear restrictions, limits for the catch season and the implementation of a TAC-regime in 2017 onwards, the fishery struggles with substantial sustainability challenges. Vessels allocated a licence demonstrate radical differences in catches, and the fleet suffers from an unprofitable overcapacity and lack of environmentally friendly harvesting operations. The management authorities and the fishermen's organizations seem to agree that the regulated open access and the Olympic fisheries model are the main sources of the present problems. The Directorate of Fisheries (DoF) [1] has introduced a discussion paper outlining various options for closing the fishery. The article outlines these- and other options, and discusses the alternatives in terms of improved sustainability, i.e., environmental, economic as well as social. A key point is that closing the fishery (like many other management measures), are not only technical interventions. They are also political, and they contribute to modify both the regulating system and the system to be regulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Background] In the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the complex variant (CPTSD) were newly conceptualised. The International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) was developed as a brief self-report measure to screen for both disorders. The English original version has been rigorously tested and presents convincing psychometric properties. The aim of the current study was to validate the German version by means of item response theory (IRT). [Method] This is a secondary analysis of a representative, trauma-exposed adult sample from the German general population (N = 500). 1- and 2-parameter logistic IRT models (i.e. examination on an item level), diagnostic rates and confirmatory factor analyses were calculated. [Results] All items showed good model fit and acceptable to good performance aligning with the items of the English original except for item C1 (Long time to calm down) which had a high endorsement rate and a low discriminatory power yielding low information gain. CPTSD diagnostic rate of 3.2% was lower than in comparable literature. Confirmatory factor analysis deemed the six first-order, two second-order factors model superior. [Conclusion] Measurement and factorial validity of the German version of the ITQ was confirmed. The German translation matches the English original in most psychometric properties and can thus be used for research and clinical practice.

Background: The International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) is a validated measure that assesses ICD-11 posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD (CPTSD). An important task is to determine whether the ITQ is an appropriate evaluative measure for clinical trials. Objective: To assess the psychometric properties of the ITQ in the context of treatment and determine if the ITQ measures reliable and clinically significant change over the course of a psychosocial intervention. Method: Analyses were based on data from an online skills training programme delivered to 254 U.S. Veterans. Reliability and validity of the ITQ scores were assessed at baseline. Changes in symptom scores and probable diagnostic rates were compared at pre-, mid- and post-treatment. A reliable change index (RCI) score was computed to classify participants as improved, unchanged, or worsened. The PCL-5 was used as a comparison measure. Results: Baseline concurrent and factorial validity was similar to previous studies. Internal consistency at each assessment was excellent and comparable to the PCL-5. Decline in symptoms from pre-to-post-treatment was significant for PTSD and CPTSD symptom profiles. Rate of probable disorder (PTSD or CPTSD) declined significantly from pre-treatment to post-treatment. Pre-to-post treatment declines exceeded the critical RCI values for the ITQ. Clinically significant changes were observed where most participants improved, some stayed the same, and few worsened. The performance of the ITQ was consistent with the PCL-5 regarding sensitivity to change. Conclusion: This study provides the first demonstration that the ITQ measures reliable and clinically significant treatment-related change of ICD-11 PTSD and CPTSD symptoms.

Background: The International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) is a validated measure that assesses ICD-11 posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD (CPTSD). An important task is to determine whether the ITQ is an appropriate evaluative measure for clinical trials. Objective: To assess the psychometric properties of the ITQ in the context of treatment and determine if the ITQ measures reliable and clinically significant change over the course of a psychosocial intervention. Method: Analyses were based on data from an online skills training programme delivered to 254 U.S. Veterans. Reliability and validity of the ITQ scores were assessed at baseline. Changes in symptom scores and probable diagnostic rates were compared at pre-, mid- and post-treatment. A reliable change index (RCI) score was computed to classify participants as improved, unchanged, or worsened. The PCL-5 was used as a comparison measure. Results: Baseline concurrent and factorial validity was similar to previous studies. Internal consistency at each assessment was excellent and comparable to the PCL-5. Decline in symptoms from pre-to-post-treatment was significant for PTSD and CPTSD symptom profiles. Rate of probable disorder (PTSD or CPTSD) declined significantly from pre-treatment to post-treatment. Pre-to-post treatment declines exceeded the critical RCI values for the ITQ. Clinically significant changes were observed where most participants improved, some stayed the same, and few worsened. The performance of the ITQ was consistent with the PCL-5 regarding sensitivity to change. Conclusion: This study provides the first demonstration that the ITQ measures reliable and clinically significant treatment-related change of ICD-11 PTSD and CPTSD symptoms. This study provides the first demonstration that the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) measures reliable and clinically significant treatment-related change in ICD-11 PTSD and Complex PTSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Complex PTSD (CPTSD) has been incorporated in the 11th edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) as a mental health condition distinct from PTSD. Objective The objective of the current study is to determine whether individuals classified as having CPTSD can benefit from an intensive trauma-focused treatment, resulting in decreased PTSD and CPTSD symptoms, and loss of diagnoses. Method Patients diagnosed with PTSD (N = 308) took part in an intensive 8-day treatment programme combining prolonged exposure, EMDR therapy, psycho-education, and physical activity. The treatment was not phase-based in that it did not contain a stabilization phase or skill training prior to therapy. CPTSD diagnosis was assessed by means of the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) and PTSD diagnosis was assessed with both the ITQ and CAPS-5. Treatment response was measured with the CAPS-5, PCL-5, and ITQ. Results Symptoms of both PTSD and CPTSD significantly decreased from pre- to post-treatment resulting in a significant loss of CAPS-5 based PTSD (74.0%) and ITQ-based PTSD and CPTSD diagnoses (85.0% and 87.7%, respectively). No adverse events occurred in terms of suicides, suicide attempts, or hospital admissions. Conclusions The results are supportive of the notion that the majority of patients classified as having CPTSD strongly benefit from an intensive trauma-focused treatment for their PTSD.

Background: Both post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) have been included in the 11th edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). Although the validity of CPTSD has been controversial, a growing number of studies support the distinction between PTSD and CPTSD. However, the majority of this research has originated in high-income countries (HICs), whereas the prevalence of trauma experience associated with PTSD/CPTSD diagnosis is significantly higher in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Objective: This study assessed whether a sample from an LMIC setting produced distinct classes that reflect ICD-11 criteria for PTSD and CPTSD. Furthermore, this study investigated whether childhood trauma distinguished between PTSD and CPTSD. Method: International Trauma Questionnaire responses from a sample of South African university undergraduates were used as indicator variables in a latent class analysis (LCA). Chi-squared tests of independence and Kruskal–Wallis H tests were used to assess between-class differences. Results: The LCA identified four distinct classes: a PTSD class with elevated symptoms of PTSD, but low endorsement of disturbances in self-organization (DSO; symptoms that are specific to CPTSD); a CPTSD class with elevated symptoms of PTSD and DSO; a DSO class with low symptoms of PTSD, but elevated symptoms of DSO; and a Low class with low endorsements on all symptoms. Regarding childhood trauma, participants in the CPTSD class had more severe childhood abuse and neglect, specifically emotional abuse and neglect, than participants in the PTSD class. Conclusions: Findings were consistent with the distinction between PTSD and CPTSD symptom profiles in the ICD-11. Our findings support a similar qualitative distinction between PTSD and CPTSD in our LMIC context, as previously reported in HICs. This distinction is especially relevant in LMICs because of the significant number of individuals vulnerable to these disorders.

This article provides an estimate of resource rent creation and its distribution in Icelandic fisheries, which have been administered by an individual transferable quota (ITQ) management system for almost three decades. This study examined the period from 1997 to 2017. Little rent was produced in the first years; however, since 2008, rent has been significant, averaging 380 million USD per year, which is around 17% of the export value of the fishing industry. Approximately 20% of the rent went to the public due to a special fishing fee and through corporate taxes. The remainder was evenly split between those who originally acquired their fishing rights by grandfathering but have cashed in their windfall gains and traded their quotas, hereinafter referred to as quota sellers, and the companies working in the fishing industry, each receiving around 40% of the rent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Both post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) have been included in the 11th edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). Although the validity of CPTSD has been controversial, a growing number of studies support the distinction between PTSD and CPTSD. However, the majority of this research has originated in high-income countries (HICs), whereas the prevalence of trauma experience associated with PTSD/CPTSD diagnosis is significantly higher in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Objective: This study assessed whether a sample from an LMIC setting produced distinct classes that reflect ICD-11 criteria for PTSD and CPTSD. Furthermore, this study investigated whether childhood trauma distinguished between PTSD and CPTSD. Method: International Trauma Questionnaire responses from a sample of South African university undergraduates were used as indicator variables in a latent class analysis (LCA). Chi-squared tests of independence and Kruskal–Wallis H tests were used to assess between-class differences. Results: The LCA identified four distinct classes: a PTSD class with elevated symptoms of PTSD, but low endorsement of disturbances in self-organization (DSO; symptoms that are specific to CPTSD); a CPTSD class with elevated symptoms of PTSD and DSO; a DSO class with low symptoms of PTSD, but elevated symptoms of DSO; and a Low class with low endorsements on all symptoms. Regarding childhood trauma, participants in the CPTSD class had more severe childhood abuse and neglect, specifically emotional abuse and neglect, than participants in the PTSD class. Conclusions: Findings were consistent with the distinction between PTSD and CPTSD symptom profiles in the ICD-11. Our findings support a similar qualitative distinction between PTSD and CPTSD in our LMIC context, as previously reported in HICs. This distinction is especially relevant in LMICs because of the significant number of individuals vulnerable to these disorders. • Latent class analysis revealed distinct post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) classes in a sample of South African students. • Both symptom profile and childhood trauma severity differentiated between PTSD and CPTSD. • These findings are consistent with those reported in high-income countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex PTSD (CPTSD) has been incorporated in the 11th edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) as a mental health condition distinct from PTSD. The objective of the current study is to determine whether individuals classified as having CPTSD can benefit from an intensive trauma-focused treatment, resulting in decreased PTSD and CPTSD symptoms, and loss of diagnoses. Patients diagnosed with PTSD (N = 308) took part in an intensive 8-day treatment programme combining prolonged exposure, EMDR therapy, psycho-education, and physical activity. The treatment was not phase-based in that it did not contain a stabilization phase or skill training prior to therapy. CPTSD diagnosis was assessed by means of the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) and PTSD diagnosis was assessed with both the ITQ and CAPS-5. Treatment response was measured with the CAPS-5, PCL-5, and ITQ. Symptoms of both PTSD and CPTSD significantly decreased from pre- to post-treatment resulting in a significant loss of CAPS-5 based PTSD (74.0%) and ITQ-based PTSD and CPTSD diagnoses (85.0% and 87.7%, respectively). No adverse events occurred in terms of suicides, suicide attempts, or hospital admissions. The results are supportive of the notion that the majority of patients classified as having CPTSD strongly benefit from an intensive trauma-focused treatment for their PTSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the study, we investigate determinants of individual fishing quota (IFQ) lease price and transfer of permanent share in the General Category Scallop fishery of the Northeastern United States. A unique micro data set on individual IFQ transactions and related vessel-level fishing profit information for the six-year time period, fishing years 2010–2015, was used to estimate models of aggregate IFQ lease markets and individual transactions. We find that IFQ lease price is affected by the marginal profit of scallop fishing as well as macro-economic conditions. Results of the analysis also suggest that the price for IFQ asset transfers captures the capitalized profits in the fishery over time. Overall, IFQ market performance is in general agreement with economic theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seafood offers opportunities for more sustainable diets through having a generally high nutritional value at lower environmental pressures relative to other animal protein. Opportunities for, and challenges of, seafood production and consumption are however context dependent. Here, a case study of Swedish fisheries for Atlantic herring Clupea harengus in the Baltic Sea is added to the scientific discourse. Motivated from a heated public debate in Sweden, the purpose is to provide a first sustainability assessment of current value chains: direct consumption versus fish meal and oil production. The case study highlights the importance of taking a value chain perspective for seafood from capture fisheries – i.e., the prerequisites, constraints and opportunities for different actors – and pay attention to misaligned economic incentives that may conflict sustainable use. Although lower greenhouse gas emissions, higher nutritional value, more affordable seafood for consumers and higher economic value for fishermen may be achieved by direct consumption of herring, several challenges exist. These include above all an urgent need to safeguard sustainable and equitable fisheries exploitation; current management is increasingly eroding opportunities for value chains producing herring for food. It is also vital with realistic expectations; redirecting more herring to direct consumption also requires strategies for how potential health risks can be reduced and consumer interest could increase. Overall, the study illustrates net-effects on marine resource utilization from interplay between actors along the value chain in various ways – with implications and insights of importance for a long-term sustainable Blue Economy. • Producing herring fillets over fish meal and oil offers many benefits. • Value chain perspectives are essential for a long-term sustainable seafood production. • Marine resource use follows the money – and may conflict food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Property rights are a widely advocated policy tool to encourage stewardship over a range of environmental goods. Despite the extent to which property rights are dependent upon law to work, economists rarely consider that property rights are enmeshed within a complex web of pre-existing national and international legal frameworks—such as human rights law—that put strict limitations on the way they operate. This important issue is illustrated here with reference to the legal struggles in the UK around the “ownership” of fishing rights. The social and economic changes under market-based management in the UK made the fisheries regulatory regime unpopular, and undoubtedly contributed to the overwhelming vote within the catch sector to leave the European Union, even though the responsibility to allocate fishing opportunities to the British fishing industry lay with the UK authorities. The lesson from the UK experience is that despite the legal-blindness of much resource economics, the application of economic theory should not outrun its legal foundations. We conclude that promoting the allocation of public fishing rights to the private sector without adequate safeguards—such as a valuation of the rights in question and carefully considered written terms and conditions—could be considered negligent.

With the publication of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 11th edition (ICD-11) due for release in 2018, a number of studies have assessed the factorial validity of the proposed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex (CPTSD) diagnostic criteria and whether the disorders are correlated but distinct constructs. As the specific nature of CPTSD symptoms has yet to be firmly established, this study aimed to examine the dimension of affect dysregulation as two separate constructs representing hyper-activation and hypo-activation. Seven alternative models were estimated within a confirmatory factor analytic framework using the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ). Data were analysed from a young adult sample from northern Uganda (n = 314), of which 51% were female and aged 18–25 years. Forty per cent of the participants were former child soldiers (n = 124) while the remainder were civilians (n = 190). The prevalence of CPTSD was 20.8% and PTSD was 13.1%. The results indicated that all models that estimated affective dysregulation as distinct but correlated constructs (i.e. hyper-activation and hypo-activation) provided satisfactory model fit, with statistical superiority for a seven-factor first-order correlated model. Furthermore, individuals who met the criteria for CPTSD reported higher levels of war experiences, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and somatic problems than those with PTSD only and no diagnosis. There was also a much larger proportion of former child soldiers that met the criteria for a CPTSD diagnosis. In conclusion, these results partly support the factorial validity of the ICD-11 proposals for PTSD and CPTSD in a non-Western culture exposed to mass violence. These findings highlight that more research is required across different cultural backgrounds before firm conclusions can be made regarding the factor structure of CPTSD using the ITQ.

Icelandic fish stocks underwent privatisation in 1990, when existing fishing quotas were made fully transferable. The country’s system of individual transferable quotas has since been held up as a paragon of virtue for sustainable fisheries. This might be valid for ecological and most economic concerns, but for a truly sustainable fisheries management system the question of social impacts has to be addressed as well. This paper evaluates the performance of Icelandic fisheries management from a spatial and social point of view. The theoretical framing stems from the concepts of resilience and vulnerability. Through cluster and correlation analyses, different development trajectories of Icelandic fishing communities since 1990 are revealed. The results are presented on maps. Even though it is no longer the country’s largest economic sector, the livelihood of many small and remote settlements is strongly connected to the fisheries. Consolidation has taken place in the fisheries and rural-to-urban migration has continued. The majority of coastal communities can be classified as vulnerable, regarding the status of the local fishing industry in 2014. Regarding demographic development, the number of vulnerable communities was significantly higher in 2014 than it was at the early 1990s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scrapping programmes and individual transferable quotas (ITQs) are two management measures frequently used to reduce overcapacity in fisheries. These measures are often aimed at specific vessel segments targeting specific fish stocks. In this case, fishermen who scrap their vessels or sell their quotas may shift their fishing activities, possibly contributing to overcapacity in other fleets. The aim of this paper is to provide some insights on this issue based on a Swedish scrapping programme for trawlers targeting cod and Norwegian lobster and the introduction of an ITQ system for pelagic vessels introduced in 2008 and 2009. Individual-level data on fishing activities and income from other industries are used to examine how effort and catches have changed after 2009, and to what extent fishermen have left the fishing industry. The lesson learnt from the Swedish case is that fishermen tend to stay in the fishing sector, and this holds true for both participants in the scrapping programme and fishermen who sold their quota in the ITQ system. Therefore measures to reduce overcapacity in targeted fleets have increased fishing pressure and competition for quotas in the Swedish small-scale fleet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 11th revision to the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) proposes two distinct sibling conditions: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex PTSD (CPTSD). In this paper, we aim to provide an update on the latest research regarding the conceptual structure and measurement of PTSD and CPTSD using the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) as per ICD-11 proposals in the USA, UK, Germany and Lithuania. Preliminary findings suggest that CPTSD is common in clinical and population samples, although there may be variations across countries in prevalence rates. In clinical samples, preliminary evidence suggests that CPTSD is a more commonly observed condition than PTSD. Preliminary evidence also suggests that the ITQ scores are reliable and valid and can adequately distinguish between PTSD and CPTSD. Further cross-cultural work is proposed to explore differences in PTSD and CPTSD across different countries with regard to prevalence, incidence, and predictors of PTSD and CPTSD.

The 11th revision to the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) proposes two distinct sibling conditions: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex PTSD (CPTSD). In this paper, we aim to provide an update on the latest research regarding the conceptual structure and measurement of PTSD and CPTSD using the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) as per ICD-11 proposals in the USA, UK, Germany and Lithuania. Preliminary findings suggest that CPTSD is common in clinical and population samples, although there may be variations across countries in prevalence rates. In clinical samples, preliminary evidence suggests that CPTSD is a more commonly observed condition than PTSD. Preliminary evidence also suggests that the ITQ scores are reliable and valid and can adequately distinguish between PTSD and CPTSD. Further cross-cultural work is proposed to explore differences in PTSD and CPTSD across different countries with regard to prevalence, incidence, and predictors of PTSD and CPTSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concerns over the re-distributive effects of individual transferable quotas (ITQ's) have led to restrictions on their tradability. We consider a general equilibrium model with firm dynamics to evaluate the redistributive impact of changing the tradability of ITQs. A change in tradability would happen, for example, if permits are allowed to be traded as a separate asset from ownership of an active firm. If the property right is associated with ownership of an active firm, the permit can be leased in each period but it is not possible to exit the industry and keep the right. However, allowing the permits to be traded as a separate asset has two effects. First, it leads to a greater concentration of production in the industry. Second, it directly converts a non-tradable asset into a tradable one, and this is equivalent to giving a lump sum transfer to all firms. The first effect implies a concentration in revenues, while the second implies a redistribution of wealth. We calibrate our model to match the observed increase in revenue inequality in the Northeast Multispecies (Groundfish) U.S. Fishery. We show that although observed revenue inequality-measured by the Gini coefficient-increases by 12 %, wealth inequality is reduced by 40 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The difference between the concepts of profit and rent are discussed theoretically and by using aggregated data from the Icelandic and Norwegian fish harvesting industries. The former is a basic indicator for gauging the business performance of firms and industries, and the latter is important for the evaluation of the economic welfare contribution of resources and industries. The importance of distinguishing between profit and rent is greater for fisheries under strict management control, such as those with quotas and licenses, than those with more open access. It was found that profit is lower than rent in both countries. Policy implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large gap has been identified between the current and optimal economic performance of wild-capture commercial fisheries in Australia. Economic approaches have the potential to assist fisheries to bridge this gap, such as bio-economic models that combine biology with fishing costs to evaluate the economic performance of a broad range of management measures. Economic objectives are prevalent in overarching Australian fisheries legislation, however economic data is often not collected and economic analyses or instruments not broadly applied. This paper reviews selected Australian fisheries to demonstrate the accrued economic benefits from applying formal bio-economic models and conducting empirical analyses of the impact of supply on product value. Challenges to the implementation and continued use of economic analyses and instruments are discussed including: (i) short-term transition costs and associated trade-offs between ecological, economic, social and political objectives; (ii) scarce logistical and financial capacity to collect and analyse economic data; (iii) a lack of desire among industry to change and transition to economic targets such as maximum economic yield (MEY), particularly when it is associated with lower catches; and (iv) a lack of economic literacy among fisheries managers and industry. It is contended that many of these challenges initially arise from an absence of clearly identified and prioritised objectives within overarching legislation and management plans. Once objectives are prioritised, limited resources can be allocated more efficiently to improve data collection, economic analysis and increase awareness as well as education of managers and industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substantial economic opportunities have been identified in many Australian fisheries but may remain unimplemented due to the perception that the role of government is to ensure harvests are biologically sustainable, while economic decisions should be left to the commercial industry. This paper explores the role of government in driving changes that increase revenue and profit from fisheries (termed economic benefit). Australian fisheries resources are managed by eight different jurisdictions. While each have separate legislation, there is invariably a responsibility to manage on behalf of, and to the benefit of the public, who are the owners of the resource. This paper uses case studies to explore how government can struggle to determine the public interest, separate this from private interests and then implement management changes to ensure the public utility is maximised. Common problems were: (i) overarching economic objectives, which define who should benefit, were often ambiguous and open to interpretation; (ii) the public interest was usually abstract and often under-represented in decision-making processes, (in contrast to industry, who have direct representation); (iii) special interest groups were often able to lobby against changes; and (iv) government was often reluctant to seize opportunities to increase economic benefit when there was significant industry opposition to management changes. In drawing attention to these challenges and how they have been overcome historically, it is argued that government has both a role and requirement under their legislative objectives to take the lead in implementing measures that increase the economic benefit from Australian fisheries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Persian Gulf fisheries are currently managed through regulations that restrict access to the fishery. These controls do not overcome the incentive for over fishing that follows from lack of ownership in open access fisheries. In such situations, more effort is required to maintain fishery resources. ITQ system of fisheries management is increasingly recognized as a practical alternative to traditional regulation methods. Traditional administration of fisheries as a common property has failed to ensure the fishery resource management is a sustainable way. Worldwide, fishery management systems are now turning to sustainable utilization of the fishery resources. ITQ's are part of this transition. Shrimp fishermen's opinion on the current shrimp management system and the possible change to a new ITQ system is examined in this study. We used a questionnaire and a stratified random sampling method, through which a total of 144 fishermen were interviewed in Hormozgan province. Descriptive statistics and contingency tables were used to estimate the agreement of fishermen with ITQ system in the study area. The results indicated that most of the fishermen do not agree with the change in the shrimp management system. Despite this result, the interviews showed that the younger, more experienced, highly educated and lower income fishermen mostly agree with the change in the current management system compared to other groups. Although the overall result does not endorse the move towards using ITQ system, but we believe that the ITQ system provides a new management system that efficiently reduces current problems.

Fisheries managers often face the challenge of addressing multiple, conflicting objectives. Historically, the focus has been on biological objectives but there has been an increasing appreciation of the importance of economic and social objectives. A desire to address economic objectives has partly driven the increasing use of individual transferable quotas (ITQs). However, ITQs are insufficient to achieve the economic objectives as a suite of other decisions and regulations affect outcomes. Assignment problems are common in ITQ fisheries and can reduce economic yield. They occur through misallocation of fishing effort, particularly when there is spatial and temporal heterogeneity in the stock, leading to inefficient timing of supply and overexploitation and congestion in parts of the fishing grounds. Clubs in the form of fishing cooperatives have the capacity to resolve these problems through coordinating the fishing effort of their members. The likelihood of a single fishing cooperative forming and uniting to resolve assignment problems however, may be diminished under ITQ management due to the increasing heterogeneity in business structures, incentives and motivations among fishers generated by market-based mechanisms. This heterogeneity can also have ramifications for fishers trying to reach an agreed industry position that can be presented to government when negotiating on management changes that deal with assignment problems. In this situation, the absence of an agreed industry position should not act as an impediment to government in prioritising, articulating and taking the lead in implementing measures that reduce assignment problems and concurrently meet their overarching economic objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In-season transferability of quota plays an important role in multispecies individual fishing quota (IFQ) systems since fishermen often need to acquire quota to balance incidental catch. The optimal utilization of quotas is thus dependent on development of an efficient quota market, but markets in multispecies IFQ fisheries develop slowly and may fail to perform efficiently even after several years. In 2011 an IFQ system was implemented for the Pacific groundfish trawl fishery in the US. After four years, the quota market does not appear to be yielding efficient prices for many species or distributing quota efficiently. I explore the structure and performance of the QP market and discuss the impediments to market efficiency. Drawing from theory and experience in other multispecies IFQ systems, I discuss other quota distribution and catch-balancing mechanisms that can supplement and perhaps improve inefficient markets and enable higher quota utilization rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individual quota (IQ) management systems in commercial marine fisheries are highly diverse, differing in the security, durability and exclusivity of the harvesting privilege and the transferability of quota units. This diversity in the degree of harvest rights may influence the effectiveness of IQ fisheries to meet management objectives. We conducted a global meta-analysis of 167 stocks managed under IQs to test whether the strength of harvest rights impacts the conservation status of stocks in terms of catch, exploitation rate and biomass relative to management targets. We used non-parametric methods to assess non-linear relationships and linear regression models to explicitly consider interactions among predictors. Most IQ fisheries consistently met fleet-wide quota limits (94% of stocks had recent catches below or within 10% of quotas), but only 2/3 of IQ fisheries adhered to sustainable management targets for biomass and exploitation rate (68% of stocks had exploitation rates below or within 10% of targets and 63% of stocks had biomass above or within 10% of biomass targets). Strikingly, when exclusivity of the harvesting privilege was low, exploitation rates depended on whether IQ implementation was industry-driven (exploitation below targets) or government-mandated (exploitation above targets). At high levels of exclusivity, exploitation rates converged to just below management targets. Transferability of quota units was associated with stock biomass closer to and slightly above target levels than stocks with non-transferable quota. However, regional differences had the strongest effect on biomass, suggesting that other management or biological attributes of regional fishery systems have greater influence on marine populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assignment problems in quota-managed fisheries are caused by spatial and temporal heterogeneity in the productivity of the stock. If the quota management system is not fully delineated (e.g. harvest rights assigned to particular areas) then fishers will compete with each other and overexploit parts of the fishery where or when the quota unit value is highest (i.e. fishing costs low and/or market price high), leading to economic rent dissipation. This study used experimental economics to assess the effectiveness of fishery temporal closures and income-sharing fishery cooperatives in resolving assignment problems across three different fisheries with varying levels of fisher heterogeneity (i.e. numbers of quota owners and lease quota fishers). While most fisheries were successful in reducing economic rent dissipation under the fishery closure management structure relative to their baseline(s), fisheries characterized by a greater number of lease quota fishers were less effective. This was due to the differential values that lease quota fishers place on the resource relative to quota owners, due to having insecurity of tenure and diminished wealth in having to bid for a quota package and pay for it using their revenue from fishing. Conversely, income-sharing fishery cooperatives were equally successful across all three fisheries in reducing assignment problems relative to their baseline(s). This was because income-sharing created an incentive to coordinate fishing effort, particularly among heterogeneous groups. While requiring further exposition in the field, these experimental results represent a first step in identifying management institutions that may assist fishers under quota management to resolve assignment problems in a dynamic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing number of US fisheries are managed with catch share programs, which allocate exclusive shares of the total allowable catch from a fish stock to individuals, cooperatives, communities, or other entities. All of these catch share programs allow transferability of catch privileges in some form. Information on these transfers, particularly prices, could be valuable to fishery managers and to fishery participants to support management and business decisions and to increase efficiency of the catch share market itself. This article documents the availability and quality of data on transfers of catch privileges in fourteen US catch share programs. These catch share programs include several individual fishing quota (IFQ) programs and a number of programs that allocate catch privileges to self-organized cooperatives. Price information on catch share transfers is found to be limited or unavailable in most US catch share programs. Recommendations are made on how to improve the design of catch share programs and associated data collection systems to facilitate effective catch share markets, collection of catch share market data, and better use of information from catch share markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been noted that in general, formal objectives for fisheries management policies, as expressed in sector legislation, are multiple and inconsistent and that as such they are poor guides for deciding and evaluating management interventions. While we acknowledge that the explicit value statements in legal texts may be unclear and symbolic, it underestimates the possibility of reading out, from legal prescripts and the institutionalised practices they support, the values and concerns a society holds the fisheries sector accountable for. In this study, we examine trends and changes in the value that fisheries hold to Nordic welfare societies. With the concept of ‘social contract in fisheries’ as a frame drawing on examples from Norway, Iceland and Greenland to examine how the societal value of fisheries is reflected in existing prescripts and practices, how these are currently being contested, and whether the social contract is undergoing change along the way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assignment problems may remain in quota managed fisheries due to variation in the productivity of the stock across space and time. Unless fishers can agree to coordinate their fishing effort, they will compete amongst themselves and over-exploit the stock where or when the quota unit value is highest, leading to economic rent dissipation. Coordination may be made more difficult in a dynamic marine environment when groups are heterogeneous and cannot communicate amongst themselves. To investigate this supposition, a series of economic experiments were conducted using university students. Participants took on the role of either a quota owner or lease quota fisher and in the presence or absence of communication were asked to make individual harvesting decisions, which allowed researchers to assess the relative influence of these factors on group coordination. This study found that participants were more likely to make socially optimal decisions to prevent rent dissipation when they could communicate and were in an experimental group containing solely quota owners. Participants who were lease quota fishers were less likely to make socially optimal decisions due to: (i) inequality in wealth; (ii) insecurity of tenure; and (iii) asymmetric information exchange. As participants were aware of these disparities, it negatively affected the ability of heterogeneous groups to establish trust and a sense of identity, despite being able to communicate. While requiring further exposition in the field, these results provide a theoretical insight into the difficulties heterogeneous fishers may have in solving assignment problems in a dynamic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]