458
M. Leopold
INTRODUCTION
The significance of carp farming in aquaculture need not be stressed;
there is a vast literature devoted to its various aspects. However, this
professional literature very rarely deals with the economic problems of carp
farming. This was rarely noticeable in the long—term, extensive work of the
ETFAC Working Party on the Economic and Technical Appraisal of Different Types
of Fish Culture, summarized in 1981 in the EIFAC Technical Paper n° 40.
This document, as well as rare papers strictly devoted to carp culture
economics and numerous conclusions resulting indirectly from works dealing
with other aspects of this culture, distinguish two basic research approaches
to
the economics of carp culture and to aquaculture as a whole.
1—
character
I have tentatively called this approach a "cost" approach because it con—
centrates
mostly on an analysis of the immediate profitability of the carp
culture of a given enterprise, i.e. it is of direct interest to a given pro—
ducer.
This approach is inherently limited to relatively brief periods and
compares more or less
individual results of the economic calculations.
2.
An approach based on long—term, more general data which are not strictly
economics
This approach provides the possibility of going beyond the strictly eco—
nomic problems and of directly or indirectly including analyses of other as—
pects (e.g. ecologic, social). I have tentatively called it the "benefit"
approach. It concentrates less on the profitabilily of production, its main
aim being to determine and analyse trends and regularities in fish culture,
its benefits, etc.. on a long—term, broad scale. In reality, almost any analy—
sis that satisfies two conditions, i.e. that is based on sufficiently long—
term data from a bread range of cases, can be considered as the "benefit"
approach since it can be extensively interpreted.
As a rule, the "cost" approach is used as a direct tool for the producer'
s
decision—making. On the other hand, the "benefit" approach constitues an
important element of the economic policy of any decision—maker at a high level
(for example, municipal authorities). This approach can also be used as a
reference point for verifiying the
activities within the broadef
context
of long—term trends and changes in the overall conditions of produc—
tion.
Many apparently "incomprehensible" phenomena revealed by the "cost"
approach are understandable when the "benefit" approach is used. This brief
description of the two methods does not imply that the "benefit" approach is
the only valid method of determining specific, important regularities. Never—
theless, the long—term data used result in the fact that the conclusions are
more
valid.
This approach is also advantageous in the "raw" data can be used. As
analysis
is based on long—term data, general regularities of a strictly econo—
mic character are also revealed. This in turn makes it possible to select the
most de81rable production routes for individual fish farms as well…
‘"
.
reasoïîî
defined here, is very rarely used for several
of long—term data whichaâî
Y
to understand
that the proper
analySls
sults and conclusions of aî HQ strictly economic may lead to important
re—
such dat
b'
economic character. Secondly, the analys1s of
a
cannot
e
limited to popular ar1thematical means but must be based
M. Leopold
INTRODUCTION
The significance of carp farming in aquaculture need not be stressed;
there is a vast literature devoted to its various aspects. However, this
professional literature very rarely deals with the economic problems of carp
farming. This was rarely noticeable in the long—term, extensive work of the
ETFAC Working Party on the Economic and Technical Appraisal of Different Types
of Fish Culture, summarized in 1981 in the EIFAC Technical Paper n° 40.
This document, as well as rare papers strictly devoted to carp culture
economics and numerous conclusions resulting indirectly from works dealing
with other aspects of this culture, distinguish two basic research approaches
to
the economics of carp culture and to aquaculture as a whole.
1—
character
I have tentatively called this approach a "cost" approach because it con—
centrates
mostly on an analysis of the immediate profitability of the carp
culture of a given enterprise, i.e. it is of direct interest to a given pro—
ducer.
This approach is inherently limited to relatively brief periods and
compares more or less
individual results of the economic calculations.
2.
An approach based on long—term, more general data which are not strictly
economics
This approach provides the possibility of going beyond the strictly eco—
nomic problems and of directly or indirectly including analyses of other as—
pects (e.g. ecologic, social). I have tentatively called it the "benefit"
approach. It concentrates less on the profitabilily of production, its main
aim being to determine and analyse trends and regularities in fish culture,
its benefits, etc.. on a long—term, broad scale. In reality, almost any analy—
sis that satisfies two conditions, i.e. that is based on sufficiently long—
term data from a bread range of cases, can be considered as the "benefit"
approach since it can be extensively interpreted.
As a rule, the "cost" approach is used as a direct tool for the producer'
s
decision—making. On the other hand, the "benefit" approach constitues an
important element of the economic policy of any decision—maker at a high level
(for example, municipal authorities). This approach can also be used as a
reference point for verifiying the
activities within the broadef
context
of long—term trends and changes in the overall conditions of produc—
tion.
Many apparently "incomprehensible" phenomena revealed by the "cost"
approach are understandable when the "benefit" approach is used. This brief
description of the two methods does not imply that the "benefit" approach is
the only valid method of determining specific, important regularities. Never—
theless, the long—term data used result in the fact that the conclusions are
more
valid.
This approach is also advantageous in the "raw" data can be used. As
analysis
is based on long—term data, general regularities of a strictly econo—
mic character are also revealed. This in turn makes it possible to select the
most de81rable production routes for individual fish farms as well…
‘"
.
reasoïîî
defined here, is very rarely used for several
of long—term data whichaâî
Y
to understand
that the proper
analySls
sults and conclusions of aî HQ strictly economic may lead to important
re—
such dat
b'
economic character. Secondly, the analys1s of
a
cannot
e
limited to popular ar1thematical means but must be based