Taking Ownership
The Atlantic fishery is hit by a major crisis about once every 10 years. Yet little has been done since the most recent crisis to resolve the industry’s underlying problems, a situation which calls out for fresh thinking. To help met this need, AIMS just published a book on the fishery, Taking Ownership: Property Rights and Fishery Management on the Atlantic Coast, to examine alternative regimes for the Atlantic fishery. It features contributions from some of the world’s leading experts. As well, AIMS organized late last year, in St. John’s, Newfoundland, a high level conference which brought leaders of industry, labour, government, and environmental groups together with researchers and academics to discuss alternatives for the Atlantic fishery. The following article reflects some of the new thinking explored in the book and at the conference.