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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have remained a quiet observer for sometime on
the list, but I feel that there is another facet to the issue that is often
overlooked.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Economics and the "almighty dollar" may contribute
to the problem, but I think this is due heavily to the nature of the coral and
fish collecting. It is an almost perfect illustration of Garret Hardin's
"Tragedy of the Commons" first described in 1968 with pastures.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Because the users (ie, collectors) have no system
of ownership on these reefs, they do not incur the immediate costs of their
actions. This creates the "scramble for resources" and leads to ruin and
exploitation of the reef systems they visit. The social cost of each
harvester's combined actions is MUCH higher than each individual's cost and this
must be modified in order to prevent and discourage such exploitive
practices.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Regulations in many of these countries attempt to
correct this by instituting catch limits and user fees, but they are frequently
de facto "open-access" resources.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>And if we consider the scenario whereby we
completely remove the influence of economics from the organism collecting (ie,
ceasing trade, tougher laws, moratoria, etc), we could effectively elliminate
ANY concern for the surrounding reefs by those very users. The
statement "<FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>If we don't buy, they can't
sell, and then there is no use to the collecting and it will eventually stop" is
very well true. But this removes any economic value from the resource, and
can potentially decrease concern for the very habitats we wish to protect.
By allowing them to derive monetary gain from the collection, we can scrutinize
the relationship and find a better way to use this interest to benefit
conservation efforts. Most people do not want to lose a significant source
of income, and if they realize they are rapidly accomplishing this by
eliminating and ruining reefs, then perhaps they will act
differently.</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>My two cents.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Cheers,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Brian Todd</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
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