COMPETITION AND COMMUNAL REGULATIONS IN THE KOMBU KELP (LAMINARIA-ANGUSTATA) HARVEST

Kombu is a kind of seaweed growing in northern Japan. In Hidaka Distri ct Hokkaido Island, it comprises an important source of income. In the harvest of wild kombu, competition among the harvesters tends to be i ntense because of its high price and the fact that it is a limited res ource. About a century ago, severe competition caused resource depleti on and decline of kombu quality. Today, however, the resource is used sustainably by the villagers, who observe complex communal regulations for the use of common property. This study examines the ecological ro le of these regulations in the management of kombu as common property, and demonstrates that these regulations facilitate equal access to th e resource, maintaining the unity of the focal community, as well as e fficient resource use.