Preface

I present in this book ideas, models and analyses on the subject of values and valuation of fishery resources using a series of my published articles. My ultimate goal is to reach a much broader audience than typical readers of scholarly articles because I believe this topic is too important to be left on the pages of journals alone. I demonstrate the way we currently value our marine living resources and how this is turning them from ‘renewable’ to ‘non-​renewable’ resources, making commercial industrial fishing more like extractive ‘mining operations’. The consequences of this is the undermining of global fish stocks, hampering the ability of not only future generations, but also current generations, to meet their fish protein, micronutrient, and livelihood needs.

The main goal of this book is to present new intuitive and interdisciplinary economic approaches and concepts, and apply them to ocean conservation in ways that are understandable and readable to non-​specialist. This book is, therefore, both a narrative about conservation and policy, and about how economics can be deployed in the service of achieving societal goals relating to fishery resources. In other words, I present ideas that can make a (small) positive contribution to humanity’s quest to achieve what R. Buckminster Fuller captured so eloquently in the following: “With our minds alone we can discover those principles we need to employ to convert all humanity to success in a new, harmonious relationship with the universe.”

The primary audiences for this book are scholars and students of environmental and natural resource economics. It can be used as course material for senior undergraduates and graduate students of oceans and fisheries economics and management, and serve as a guiding approach for fisheries and ocean policymakers and managers worldwide. There is something in the book for the interested public, ocean enthusiasts, NGOs, and civil society in general. Funders of ocean conservation and fisheries sustainability would also find the book useful, as it highlights the kind of interdisciplinary and integrated economics needed to help ensure we achieve long term conservation of our vital ocean resources, and thereby achieve Infinity fish.

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Preface • 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17