Aldemaro Romero, Ph.D.
Chair and Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
Arkansas State University
P.O. Box 599
State University, AR 72467, USA
Phone: (870) 972-3082
Facsimile: (870) 972-2638
aromero@astate.edu
http://www.clt.astate.edu/aromero/

Chapter 1
 
IN THE LAND OF THE MERMAID: HOW CULTURE, NOT ECOLOGY, INFLUENCED MARINE MAMMAL EXPLOITATION IN THE SOUTHEASTERN CARIBBEAN
 
Aldemaro Romero¹ and Joel Creswell^2
1 Environmental Studies Program, Macalester College, 1600 Grand Ave., St, Paul, MN 55105-1899. Current Address: Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, P.O. Box 599, State University, AR 72467; ² Environmental Studies Program, Macalester College, 1600 Grand Ave., St, Paul, MN 55105-1899. Current Address: Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, 205 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511
 
Abstract:        Although some progress has been made toward a better understanding of marine mammal utilization in the Southeastern Caribbean, no comparative analysis has been carried out to see how such practices originated, developed, and finally impacted the marine mammal populations in that region.  We conducted field and archival studies for Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, Barbados, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.  We analyzed records of whaling, dolphin fisheries, and manatee exploitation for those countries, interviewed local fishers, and explored the remains of whaling stations in each area.  Our results show that each of these countries developed a different pattern of whale and dolphin exploitation, but similar patterns of utilizing manatees.  We conclude that these five neighboring countries, although sharing essentially the same marine mammal species, developed different exploitation practices in terms of species targeted, capture techniques, and time periods in which that exploitation took place, due to different cultural circumstances.
 
Key words:     whaling; dolphin fisheries; whales; dolphins; manatees
 
Chapter 7
 
A DEEPER SOLUTION FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMONS
Building an effort control regime for the Eastern
Tropical Pacific tuna fishery
 
Brian Potter^1
1Department of Political Science, The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ  08628-0718
 
Abstract:        The parable of the tragedy of the commons tells that resources held under open access conditions are prone to over-exploitation.  For fisheries, regulations to limit aggregate catch improve resource use yet promote over-investment.  Optimal regulation would limit the investments and labor dedicated to harvesting, a task quite difficult in a global forum.  Motivated by three reasons, the member-states of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission have attempted such limits for the purse-seine yellowfin fishery, in addition to implementing other conservation measures.  First, increases in fishing capacity by existing participants and newcomers have resulted in financial losses for the major fleets.  Second, the resolution of the tuna-dolphin controversy encouraged additional harvesting capacity in an already-crowded fishery.  Finally, bureaucratic changes in some countries have empowered fishery professionals who balance sustainable resource use with economic development.  The strength of these influences, as well as efforts and concessions to create a regime, vary among the states involved.
 
Key words:    fishery management, natural resource policy, common property, open access, over-capitalization, Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, Latin America.