Study On Sustainable Utilization And Effective Management Of Marine Fishery Resources In China

Man has been puzzled by some contradictions increasingly such as resources shortage, population explosion and environmental deterioration since the Twentieth century and they have quickened to exploit and utilize the ocean. Without exaggeration, the 21th century has become marine economy century gradually. China holds very rich marine fishery resources in the world. Marine fishery value was about 30% of marine economic value of our county. Therefore, it is obvious that marine fishery plays an important role in the marine economy of our country. But, since 1970, some traditional fishery species in China have been declining, and marine fishery has been immersed in the condition of unsustainable development. What is precise definition of unsustainable development of marine fishery? Why do some new problems come forth in the exploitation of marine fishery resources and not put down repeatedly? How to make the marine fishery to develop uninterruptedly? Based on mentioned factors above to think over, in this paper, the author is trying to explain and analyse them.First, this paper puts forward many problems which marine fishery resources are confronted with after looking back on the course and describing the status quo of marine fishery resources in our country. They are depletion of fishery resources in inshore, degeneration of germ-plasm resources, increasing pollution in seawater, red tide and the frequent occurrence diseases, that fishing capacity greatly increased, and that management is not good and legal system is not health. Second, this paper analyses the reasons why marine fishery resources are over-captured. The author thinks that it is because that marine fishery resources is a typical example of common property resources. The common property resources and the exclusive resources, of which the property rights are well-defined, have distinct economic performances in the practices of their exploitation. The common property resources usually face the "tragedy of the common", such as overexploitation, decline etc. since Garrett Hardin put forward the concept and problem of the "tragedy of the common" in 1968, either the academicians or government officials have attached importance to the use and management of the common property resources. Because of the attributes of the non-excludability, competitiveness and externality, the strong temptation to responsibility-evasion and free-ride will make itbecome ordinary forms to overexploiting resources. Third, this thesis analyses the management theories and the administrative objects of marine fishery resources. The author thinks that MSY (Maximum Sustainable Yield) and MEY (Maximum Economic Yield) are major administrative objects now. Based on theoretical studies, this dissertation deals with the positive analysis of MSY and MEY. Fourth, this paper analyses the institution change and institution arrangement of marine fishery resources in China. The dissertation expounds the performance of main institution arrangements of the marine fishery resources, such as fishing license system, catching quota system and system of summer fishing ban, and presents a summary evaluation of institution of the marine fishery resources in China. The basic conclusion is that these institutions are not successful to achieve their goals of controlling over-fishing and preventing rent dissipation. The reasons for this poor performance may be found in the prime characteristic of these fishery management systems that provide strong incentives for "race-to-fish" between the fishermen. This heightened competition, on the one hand, motives each individual operator seeks to maximize his efficiency to take as much of the available quota as possible, on the other hand, stimulates individual fishermen to increase fishing power by every means. After the end of summer fishing ban, the strong fishing pressure and "race-to-fish" will lead to disappear of the effect of fishing ban. Last, the author puts forward the counter measures and suggestion in the aspects, such as amplifying the laws and managements of marine fishery, establishing the Individual Transferable Quotas (ITQ) system gradually, realizing capitalized management of marine fishery resources, transferring fishermen rationally to reduce fishing capacity, for instance, development of aquaculture, ocean-going fishery, processing industry of aquatic products and leisure fishery.