FISHY RESOURCES AND RESOURCEFUL FISHERS - THE MARINE COMMONS AND THE ADAPTIVE STRATEGIES OF TEXEL FISHERMEN

There are numerous instances of the abuse and overexploitation of natu ral resources held in common. This is especially true in marine enviro nments. In a well-known article, Garrett Hardin states that the exploi tation of common property resources will inevitably lead to ecological deterioration. Critics maintain that his proposition is based on fals e assumptions and is empirically untenable. They present examples of s ustainable use and successful communal resource management. In my opin ion, the pessimistic and the optimistic views are both flawed. Underst anding the motives and behaviour of commoners requires a close examina tion of their adaptive strategies, socially and culturally contextuali zed in a long-term perspective. From this angle, this article focuses on Texel fishermen's adaptations in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.