24
1996 National Public Policy Education Conference
James Wilson
resource economist,
University of Maine
An experiment in common property resource management is just
starting with Maine fisheries. It is the result of regular conversations
state, industry and university personnel have been holding for a decade.
Maine ,s
Lobster Fishery -
Managing a
Common Property
Resource
Until now, most management has been a common sense, single-
species approach. The object has been to limit harvests, to leave
enough population to spawn and sustain the resource (i.e., the approach
has presumed humans can manipulate fish stock with predictable
results). Management has extended over all the species’ range, which
usually is large.
This almost inevitably has led to a top-down approach.
It also has led to a certain centralization of information.
The scale of concern for cod, for example, covers a range from
North Carolina to Canada. And, after all, who other than scientists has
time to gather information over that range and make some sort of
analysis?
Recent ecological theories are at odds with this single-species
management approach. Those theories also are surprisingly close to
how Maine fishermen believe fishery systems really work.
Together, they point to different, more ecological assumptions:
■ Species sustainability depends on the state of the ecosystem.
■ Trying to “manipulate” an unpredictable and complex
ecosystem always leads to unintended consequences.
■ Fishing rules must focus on how, when and where fishing
should take place, rather than just how many fish to harvest.
To meet these challenges, Maine plans to decentralize its fisheries
management, making it more democratic and putting more reliance on
information from fishermen. This will mean paying attention to many
ecological activities at many scales, small to large.
Maine has started this experiment on a limited basis, working with
state lobster fishermen.
These fishermen have a history of self-enforcing conservation
efforts. In addition, lobster stock is relatively sedentary, so the fishery
has long-held community∕family traditions.
Maine has divided its coast into seven ecological zones. A locally
elected lobster council will have authority over each zone, enforcing all
relevant rules (e.g., days and times fishing is allowable).
Enacting or changing rules will require a consensus, however—a
local referendum approved by at least two-thirds of the zone’s licensed
lobster fishermen.
Representatives of these groups will have authority over larger
scale events and so on up the system.
As experience builds, the state will expand its efforts to include
fisheries for other marine species in the council system.