CHAPTER 1 Media Article
"Fisheries Minister Insists Canada on Right Track in Protecting Marine Species",

NEWS 1130 November 3, 2006

There are varied reactions to the prediction that world fish supply will cease by 2048. Some say its “alarmist”; others say it “provides important warnings.” In Canada, Loyola Hearn, the federal fisheries minister, claims that he has been responding appropriately to counteract mistakes of the past that has caused the decreased fish stocks. For example, he is “trying to shift the government’s approach to fisheries management to one that considers the whole ecosystem, rather than focusing on single species,” to protect this resource. However, ecologists think the government is not doing enough. Bob Rangeley, a director for the World Wildlife Fund, even accuses the government of inaction, including doing nothing about countries that violate fishing laws. The diverse species in the world’s oceans are disappearing with over fishing and pollution. “Thirty per cent of commercially fished species have already collapsed.”

Connection to Chapter 1- scarcity, and resource ownership

This article is about a scarce resource, fish, and how the Canadian government, with power over our resources, can make a difference. As I have learned from chapter one, a scarce resource is a resource, which is limited in supply. Fish is a renewable resource but over fishing is causing it to become increasingly scarce. The depletion of fish is becoming so critical that a prediction has been made that by 2048 there will be practically no more available. From what I leaned in chapter one, I can conclude that as world fish stocks continue to decrease the price for fish will increase. If fish are disappearing at the rate this study is implying, the price of fish will probably quadruple in 5 to 10 years, since scarcity is a determinant of price, and prices increase as an item becomes more scarce. Resource ownership is another concept, which applies to this article. The government can apply regulations on fishing because they are active in a certain way in out economy. They could help conserve Canada’s and the world’s supply of fish, as argued by these ecologists, if they took action. However, since the amount of fish available to be caught would probably then be regulated, the scarcity of fish would still increase, and prices still rise. This article is related to chapter one through the concept of scarcity and resource ownership.

Personal Reflection

I am unhappy about the state of our oceans. Not only is fish an important source of nutrients, its a very depressing consideration to think of all the diverse sea life disappear. 2048 is not a long ways away and I have to admit that I will miss eating seafood. If nothing is done about this problem, fish will increase in scarceness and, soon, I will not be able to afford to eat fish anymore. I agree with the economists, the government should be doing more. They should be putting money into solving this problem not the war. Moreover, contaminated oceans do us, humans, harm too since all the water on Earth is the same water “recycled” over and over again. Pollution is getting out of hand, the fish are suffering, and we will be too.

http://www.news1130.com/news/national/article.jsp?content=n110353A