Preventing the Tyranny of Shared Commons: A Regional Perspective on Fishery Management

Developments in the South China Sea are often characterized by territorial disputes and growing state competition. As the United States continues to challenge maritime claims with freedom of navigation operations, China sustains its artificial island developments in disputed waters. At the same time, claimant states like Vietnam become enmeshed in major power tensions brought about by foreign fishermen and law enforcement agencies and their forays along maritime borders. These clashes severely impact fishery resources in the region and, if left unaddressed, will only bear unwelcome repercussions on the stability of the Indo-Pacific.