Science Behind Sustainable SeafoodLesson 1: Tragedy of the Commons

Alaska Fisheries Science Center

What is a natural resource?

Something provided by nature that humans can use.

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 2

Name some natural resources, what do we do with them?

What happens when everyone tries to use these resources?

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 3

• What would happen to a forest?• What would happen to oil reserves?• What would happen to the water?• What would happen to the fish?

There is less!

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 4

Difference between a renewable resource and a non-renewable or finite resource? Examples?

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 5

Renewable• Trees• Fish• Water – water cycle

Non-renewable• Coal• Oil• Fresh Water – lost to evaporation, locked in ocean

What happens if we allow a resource to be over-extracted?

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 6

This is called the tragedy of the commons?• What real or possible events that could be

considered a tragedy of the commons?

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 7

How could you avoid over-extraction of a natural resource?

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 8

How can we avoid over-extraction of fish or overfishing?

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 9

Laws, science and teamwork or community!

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 10

Example of community based management• Watch video on the webpage of the Port Orford, OR

Ocean Resource Team• http://www.oceanresourceteam.org/

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 11