* update on selling the oceans

Topics: Resources
29 Mar 1995

From: "DG Ervan Darnell"


In case you have missed the news, Canada and Spain and squabbling over a
piece of the Northern Banks that is just outside of Canadian territorial
waters. Apparently, Spain is fishing without any limit to take what they
can. They also stand accused (by Canada) of using fine mesh nets which
catch the young fish as well. The first problem is up in the air, the
second is certainly a violation of treaties to which Spain is a signatory.
Canada has seized at least one Spanish vessel on the high seas, which is by
all accounts contrary to "international law" (that and 25 cents will get you
a cup of coffee). Regardless, there is no contesting that fish stocks are
collapsing precipitously.

The Greenpeace representative pointed out that territorial waters were
extended from 20 to 200 miles in the 60's to prevent exactly this problem.
Nothing has changed. Competing governmental interests within countries are
just as destructive as between countries.

In a previous post, I already discussed the solution: sell the oceans.
There is no danger of cattle, hogs, or chickens going extinct because
property owning farmers carefully shepard their stock. On the other hand,
governments raid. If the ocean fishing banks were private property, the
fish would be in far better shape than they are under government protection.
If you want to object that non-stock species would not fare well under
'farming', consider how poorly they are faring now with 'protection'.

The Greenpeace representative also pointed out that fishing fleets are
losing money hand over fist but are kept in business by European governments
subsidizing their losses to keep them a float! Not only is there a failure
of principle in the abstract to recognize property, in practice the
operation of government aggravates the problem it created.


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