From S. M. GARCIA
I read with interest your editorial (Comment, 11 April) on ‘Fishy business’.
You rightly mention the poor state of the fishery resources. Most of them
are not in any danger of extinction, but the economic waste through over-exploitation
amounts to tens of billions per year. Scientists have indeed said, repeated
and written about the progressively growing waste since, at least, the International
Conference on Overfishing in 1946. The Food and Agricultural Organization
has played a major role in spreading the scientific methodology and in reviewing
regularly the progression of the disaster. Managers have been informed and
trained. Fishery bodies have been strengthened. Control and surveillance
systems have been established.
The truth is that, beyond insufficient research, unaware fishermen,
helpless managers, economic pressure and corruption, there is a serious
institutional problem related to inadequate resource allocation mechanisms
and property rights. The new Law of the Sea adopted in 1982 helps, but allocation
must proceed inside Economic Exclusion Zones if any progress is to be made.
This is not easy, but the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
(the Earth Summit) may help.
S. M. Garcia Fisheries Department, Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations Rome, Italy
