Obstacles to Fishery Self-Government

Abstract

This paper uses some aspects of modern organization and management theory to suggest what difficulties arise with the introduction of self-government in fisheries. Recent studies are used to shed light on the characteristics of fisheries that already have apparently successful schemes of self government. A simple question is asked: if for a fishery under regulation it had already been decided, in principle, that self-government should be tried, which obstacles would be most serious? Among the suggested answers are deficient information, excessive numbers of fishermen and fishermen heterogeneity. Distributional problems are suggested to be the least serious of these.