NEW MEDIT, vol.17, no.4, pp.71-80, 2018 (SCI-Expanded)
In this study, it is aimed to analysis of the economic efficiency of the small-scale coastal fishing activities operating on the Eastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey. In this context, face-to-face surveys were conducted with small-scale fishermen during the 2016-2017 fishing season and so these fisherman's input usage, total revenue structures and socio-economic and demographic characteristics were determined. Data Envelopment Analysis method was applied to determine the economic efficiency levels of small-scale fisheries and extreme levels of input use was demonstrated. In addition, a Tobit Regression Model was applied to detect the factors causing the inefficiency of these small-scale fishers. The results of the analysis reveal that the average economic efficiency levels of the small-scale fishermen operating in the research area under the variable return to scale are 0.64. According to the results, it is possible to realize the same output performance when the fishers' use of inputs is reduced by 36.1%. The main inputs leading to inefficiency in the output performance of small-scale fishers are determined as vessel maintenance expenditures (15.4%), fishing gear repair or purchase expenditures (12.3%) and labour costs (12%). In addition, Tobit Analysis was applied to investigate the relationship between the economic efficiency results and the socio-economic and demographic situation of small-scale fishermen. According to this, household size, working hours and vessel ownership factors causes economic inefficiency on the focused fishermen.