APES Tragedy of the Commons Lab Activity



APES Tragedy of the Commons Lab Activity

Purpose: The purpose of this simulation is to explore how resources are used when they are available to multiple parties.

Objective:

• Harvest as many fish as you can without destroying the ocean.

• Use your experience to understand the conditions leading to the “tragedy of the commons.

• ”Devise strategies to avoid depletion of a limited common resource.

• Apply your experience in class to global environmental problems.

Materials:

-Goldfish crackers - Plastic bowls (Lakes) - Straws

Procedure:

1. Each group should sit in a circle around the "ocean".

2. The fish represent food resources that can be harvested from the ocean.

3. You must fish by sucking up the "fish" from the "ocean" with straws.

4. You will get a chance to fish once a year (which lasts one minute) to determine your income for the year.

General Rules:

1. Each fishing session represents one generation of fish.

2. The fish in your lake will reproduce once a year—each remaining fish is able to spontaneously reproduce and make one new fish (4 fish become 8, i.e., to a maximum of 16, which is the carrying capacity of the lake)].

3. At least 2 fish must be caught to ensure survival to the next round.

4. Keep the fish that you "catch" in front of you.

5. When your group runs out of fish, the game is over for your group.

PART 1

Fish Data Table: Round 1- Blind fishing. No talking allowed!

|Year # |# of fish at |# of fish taken by |# of fish taken by|

| |beginning of | | |

| |year | | |

| | |High-Value Fish |

|1 | | |

|2 | | |

|3 | | |

|4 | | |

|5 | | |

|6 | | |

Analysis & Discussion Questions:

1. Describe the impact of no communication had on the outcome of Round 1. How did this compare to Round 2?

2. Compare your fishing strategy for Round 1 vs. Round 2.

3. In part 2, did open communication help your fishery survive? Why or why not?

4. In Years 1-3 (Round 2), did you make a profit or did you lose money ? Would you have fished differently in Year 1 if you had known that the “fish” had different economic values? Explain.

5. In Year 4-5 (Round 2), did you make a profit, or did you lose money ?

6. In Year 6 (Round 2), did you make a profit or did you lose money?

7. How did the change in technology affect your fishing strategy? Was the increase in technology worth the cost? (Consider economic advantages vs. environmental disadvantages)

8. Is it possible to maximize the number of fish caught/person AND the number of fish remaining in the pond at the same time? Why or Why not?

9. What real-life factors or influences are missing in this game? (a bulleted list is fine)

10. Name a commonly owned resource (other than fish)in our region or community. Explain how the Tragedy of the Commons is (or could be) felt in that resource. How can the resource best be managed?

11. List at least 5 ways to have a sustainable fishery.

12. How does the following quote by John C. Sawhill relate to the fishing activity? “In the end, our society will be defined not only by what we create, but by what we refuse to destroy.”

13. Read the Garrett Hardin's essay “The Tragedy of the Commons.” Discuss how it is reflected in this game in at least 5 sentences.

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