Sustainable Use of Populations and Overexploitation
Mikko Heino, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
Katja Enberg, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
Published online: December 2008
DOI: 10.1002/9780470015902.a0020476
Abstract
Sustainable use refers to exploiting a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged. Sustainability
is an internationally accepted minimal goal in managing biological resources. However, many populations are managed under
more stringent goals, for example obtaining maximum sustainable biological or economic yield. Overexploitation refers to exploitation
that is more intensive than such specific goals. While overexploitation is not sensible from societal point of view, in practice
overexploitation often occurs because of the conflicting interests between individual exploiters and the public, and because
individual exploiters often are maximizing short rather than longāterm benefits. When sustainable exploitation is attempted,
significant practical challenges remain in determining particular exploitation levels that would guarantee chosen management
goals. Good intentions may be ruined if uncertainty is not properly accounted for, and overexploitation may also result from
lack of precaution.
Keywords: bioeconomics; exploitation; maximum sustainable yield; natural resource management
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