Public Policy, Territoriality and Tragedy of the Commons in Marine Fisheries

Abstract

"As against fairly widespread belief, following neo-classical discussions on indiscriminate use of common property resources, the anthropological literature has documented a number of cases of 'territoriality' perceived at levels of small, decentralised, fishermen communities in using their common property marine fish resource. This paper explores the concept of territoriality in the context of public policy in choice of technology, creating uncommon capabilities among different fishing groups using common marine fish resource, using cases of developed and developing countries. The Indian case, however, is discussed at length. The analysis presented suggests that state induced technology creates multiple entity systems based on uncommon capabilities, in conducting fishing operations, as against a single, homogenous entity system sustained through generations under collective perception of territoriality at levels of small fishermen communities."