The following report represents research work that was for the most part carried out during the summer of 1996 under a research contract with FAO’s Fisheries Department. It was subsequently revised and completed during my stay as an academic visitor at FAO Headquarters in Rome in the fall of 2000. In spite of this revision it should be borne in mind that the report essentially refers to the ocean ranching situation prior to 1996, the year in which the research work was carried out.
Thanks are due to the numerous individuals that assisted me in this work by providing me with data and commenting on earlier drafts. In particular I would like to express my gratitude to Professor Trond Bjorndal at the Norwegian School of Economics and Ulf Wijkström and Rolf Willmann at the FAO, who contributed significantly to the final version of the report. Needless to say, I alone am responsible for the remaining omissions and errors.
Rome, 13 October 2000
Ragnar Arnasson
