[semper_libertas]

" Therefore, it's not enough to say that higher prices will reestablish equilibrium, as that hasn't been true so far. Even at higher market prices, fish populations continue to drop. There is no healthy equilibrium. "

A fisherman Freeper tells us in an earlier post that the government SUBSIDIES fishing to the tune of $2.5B. There would appear to be the problem. Our otherwise free-market has been bastardized by the government. They are paying fisherman to purge the ocean of otherwise unprofitable fish.

First lets ELIMINATE government subsidies so that the fish prices will seek a natural level, then lets see who is left...

[kezekiel]

First lets ELIMINATE government subsidies so that the fish prices will seek a natural level, then lets see who is left...

Fair enough. That has my vote.

However, I fear that the problem is more fundamental than government subsidies propping up unprofitable fishermen. It's that we harvest in excess of the rate that populations can be refreshed. It's a math problem, not a market problem.