A Watermen's Cooperative: Selected Factors To Consider In The Planning Process

Over 5,000 Virginia watermen derive their livelihood from commercial fishing. This paper offers a strategic path for organizing a Virginia watermen's cooperative. The priorities for a strategic plan are expressed as six economic variables: time management, enterprise management and cost control, market-channel structure, competitiveness, profitability, and long-term industry growth. These six variables can be structured to ensure the effective use of resources. The planning process takes vision and effort to address these strategic variables and developing the unit plans for the cooperative. If the necessary conditions are met, the cooperative should create a path to ensure watermen's economic livelihood