Forwarding mail by: weymullers@xxxxxxxxxx () on 18 Oct 1995
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Subject: Public Policy and Coastal Resources
From: <pol-sci-tech@xxxxxxxxxxx>
I am a student at Kenyon College and am a part of an
interdisciplinary environmental course that is looking at the
use and abuse of marine resources. We are planning on posting
a web page titled "The tragedy of the Coastal Commons", and I
am requesting any input on the subject that you might have to
offer. As we see it, the situation with shellfisheries is as
follows:
-Shellfish are a vulnerable living resource.
-Shellfisheries are commercially and often socio-culturally
important.
-Most Shellfisheries occur in marine coastal habitats over
which jurisdiction (ownership) is often contested.
-Traditions of open access to shellfish resources compromises
management for sustained production.
-Privitization is one suggested solution (yet very
problematic).
-Information is usually scant or absent for sound management.
-As of yet, there is no sound political resolution to the
problem.
The questions that I ask you are twofold.
(1.) Should policy makers submit to commercial aquaculture and
privatize bay bottoms for raising shellfish?
(2.) Under the assumption that the technology for successful
aquaculture is availible, to what extent are policy makers
obliged to permit it progress? Or to stop it?
Any responses to these or related issues would be most
helpful, and can be sent to:
Weymullers@xxxxxxxxxx
Thank you so much for your time.
Sincerely, Sims Weymuller