Tuna jerky economic model

Inshore fisheries within Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), are reliant on unsustainable fishing practices that include the targeting of fish spawning aggregations (FSAs) and undersized individuals, and the use of small-mesh nets and nighttime spearfishing. To compound the problem, raw materials (as catch) have historically been undervalued creating a ‘race to fish’ scenario in order to achieve higher profits through higher catches. Further, a paucity of vocational opportunities and the ease of entry into fisheries means a steady stream of young fishers entering the sector with little understanding of fish life history, fisheries management or traditional ecological knowledge, thus creating a perfect scenario for overfishing. In contrast, the nearshore realm has greater inherent sustainability owing to the migratory nature of most of the target species, the use of more sustainable gear and higher difficulty of successful catches. For the nearshore fishery, these combined fac..., The dataset was collected through the examination of multiple variables needed to procure, produce, package and ship value-added tuna products from Pohnpei, (Federated States of) Micronesia to Guam. The model uses known prices or raw materials, labor costs, supplies, overheads, and shipping available in 2024. The model is based on two production volumes per month: 1000 and 1500 pounds of raw Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) to yield 1,800 and 2,700 2-oz packages of tuna jerky. The scenario relies on monthly procurement of locally, sustainably caught wild tuna by small-scale commercial fishers in Micronesia. To identify profitability, the model relies on average, relative volumes of tuna required to produce a 2-oz. package of tuna jerky under tried and tested dehydration methods and standardized marinades developed during the project. The model allows various inputs of final pricing (sales price) to examine profitability under three sales opportunities: Wholesale locally (Pohnpei), ret..., , # Pohnpei Jerky Production Model NA21NMF4270350

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.573n5tbjh](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.573n5tbjh)

## Description of the data and file structure

This dataset was produced from a production process for value-adding to raw Yellowfin tuna (*Thunnus albacares*) in the form of tuna jerky. To produce the dataset for the economic model we used values derived from supply purchases, including raw fish, marinades, labor, overhead, utilities, packaging and shipping. The dataset includes several worksheets that include Background, Profitability, Inputs, Production, Ingredients (for marinades), Overheads and Labor expenses. The Background worksheet describes the avenues pursued in the economic model development that includes three sales scenarios under two monthly production volumes. The Profitability worksheet  calculates potential profitability under the three sales scenarios and production volumes using known values. In this model, sales prices are based on loca...