Meister Blog #3

The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) seeks to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats. Through programs like, the Partners for Fish and Wildlife, Partners in Flight, Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council, and other partnership activities, the FWS fosters aquatic conservation and assists voluntary habitat conservation and restoration. Its primary economic objective is to fund state agencies so they have the funding to regulate overfishing. Overfishing is a problem due to future consumption issues and environmental impacts. The act of international fishing is known as a common good, because it is rivalrous and non-excludable. Fishing acts, restrictions, and quotas are put into place to address these commons goods. The program is set to address the issues of overfishing and destruction of ecosystems.

In general, I think the Fish and Wildlife Service is a necessary agency and the Fish Wildlife & Sport Fish Restoration Program is vital to maintaining not only the economy of producers and consumers for eating fish  (the fishermen and bulk buyer consumers), but also to maintain the natural habitat and ecosystem. Nobody knows the full effects of the market when the supply of fish is unregulated.  If the fish market suffers, other plant and animal life will surely be affected, which may affect unknown markets indirectly. The programs are not only used for funding, but they also are used for education, restoration, and awareness. The money funded to the state government is used to find better practices, and also limit the amount of fish that are taken from the ocean/sea. In addition to fish, this agency also looks to support other marine life. I definitely support intervention because nobody really owns the water. The property rights to the water should be as public as possible.

Overfishing isn’t a public good, but the water itself is. Therefore since nobody has the rights, the government should do whatever it can to be socially optimal.