Economist Magazine calls for end to fishing subsidies, global fishing vessel registry, and marine reserves
SEAFOODNEWS.COM Feb 26, 2014
In conjunction with their second seafood summit, the Economist is calling for a global UN ocean agency to enforce regulations beyond the 200 mile limts. Although this may be far fetched, two of their suggestions deserve support: ending fishing subsidies, and a registry of fishing vessels. Marine reserves - the other popular solution - need to be designed with scientific credibility, instead of just a hope that they accomplish a vague goal.
The editorial:
IN 1968 an American ecologist, Garrett Hardin, published an article entitled “The Tragedy of the Commons”. He argued that when a resource is held jointly, it is in individuals’ self-interest to deplete it, so people will tend to undermine their collective long-term interest by over-exploiting rather than protecting that asset. Such a tragedy is now unfolding, causing serious damage to a resource that covers almost half the surface of the Earth.
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