Jalan Danau Tamblingan no.

78 Tel/Fax: +62 361 289 338

Sanur, Bali 80228 E-mail:
Indonesia info@coraltrianglecenter.org
Web:
www.coraltrianglecenter.org

Tragedy of Commons
Fishing Exercise
(Scenario Version for World Ocean Day 2013)

"Our seas contain diversity of fish species. Human has already made use the sea for thousand
years. In some areas of the world even in Indonesia, the fish catch size is getting smaller and the
quantity of total catch is decreasing over the time. Some traditional communities have made their
effort to sustainably make use their fisheries but yet human creates new fishing gears or modifies the
gears to catch more and more fish from the sea. Fishing exercise game will allow participants to learn
about fish population, fishing effort and tragedy of the common."

The tragedy of the commons is the depletion of a shared resource by individuals, acting
independently and rationally according to each one's self-interest, despite their understanding that
depleting the common resource is contrary to their long-term best interests.

Objective:
To allow participants experiencing tragedy of the common and managing fisheries stock through
various approach will necessarily be important for sustaining food security.

Duration:
15 minute

Tools and Materials:

- 50 artificial fishes
- 50 artificial small fish (green and blue)
- 5 fishing rod (basic type)
- 5 bucket/basket
- 1 flipchart and permanent marker
- 1 wistle

Color Code:
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 Jalan Danau Tamblingan no. 78 Tel/Fax: +62 361 289 338
Sanur, Bali 80228 E-mail:
Indonesia info@coraltrianglecenter.org
Web:
www.coraltrianglecenter.org
RED high value in the market, very price for every fish is $100
(Groupers) important if leave most of this
fishes,
YELLOW middle value in the market, price for every fish is $50
(Trigger fish) important if leave some in the
ocean
BLACK middle value in the market but price for every fish is $5
(Shark) important for biodiversity
Various small fish (yellow/ low value in the market Price for every fish is $1
green and blue)

Game Crew:
- 1 Lead Facilitator who will give game instructions and debrief
- 1 Game Master who will lead the game flow, recording time and recording fishing result
- 1 Game Master (lead the game flow)
- 8 Game Assistant who will stay in the group and help reporting fishing result to game master

Preparation:
1. Game master disperse 50 artifical fishes to the pool (not jet pump, water 1.50 max depth)
2. Game master prepare group station 1 – 5, put fishing rod and fishing basket at each station.
3. Game master put up flipchart for fishing result
4. Split participants into 5 groups consisting of 3 persons each. Each group will play as a group of
fishermen in one fishing boat.
5. Give name to each group and let group stand at its station by selecting randomly each position.
(optional if already group name before)

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 Jalan Danau Tamblingan no. 78
Sanur, Bali 80228
Indonesia
Tel/Fax: +62 361 289 338
E-mail:
info@coraltrianglecenter.org
Web:
www.coraltrianglecenter.org

6. Lead facilitator will be ready at his/her station to introduce the game and give game instructions.
 The game consists of three main sessions.
 Each part has 2-3 fishing activities
 I will be your facilitator for today and there is Game Master who will lead you throughout
the game. Each group will have Game Assisstant to help you count your catch and
report your catch to Game Master.
 Please select your fishing master, the person who are very good in fishing!
 The pool will be your sea with abundance of fish
 You will be competing with other group to catch the fish, the winner is the group who can
collect the highest number of fish with highest values.
o Red fish the most expensive one, the values is USD 100 per piece.
o Yellow fish is on the average value, it is USD50 per piece
o Black fish is moderately low value, it is USD 5 per piece
o Various small fish is low value, USD1 per piece

7. Each game assistant will be standing by for each group and ready for counting and reporting the
catch (fish).
Group RED YELLOW BLACK VARIATION TOTAL
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

8. Facilitator collect all the fish from each group, count it and record on flip-chart.

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 Jalan Danau Tamblingan no. 78
Sanur, Bali 80228
Indonesia
Tel/Fax: +62 361 289 338
E-mail:
info@coraltrianglecenter.org
Web:
www.coraltrianglecenter.org

SESSION ONE
Instructions:
 Please stand by at your selected location
 There are no rules apply for this session
 Every group should compete with other groups to get as many as fish from the sea
 There is no communications between groups
 You will fish for one minute per fishing effort and you may go to the best location for fish
 Game assistant, please help count the catch per fishing effort and report to Game Master
 Game Master please give the sign for starting the game and let the game begin!

SESSION TWO
Instructions:
 Now we are entering SESSION TWO
 In this session, we have new rules
1) Each group cannot change their fishing ground/fishing station based on the last position
it stands.
2) Check to the pool, how many RED fish left in the sea? Game Master will add 10 small
fish (green and blue) to the sea for each RED fish left in the sea
i. If there is 1 RED  add 5 small fish (green and blue)
ii. If there are 3 RED  add 10 small fish (green and blue)
iii. If there are 5 RED  add 15 small fish (green and blue)
3) Check to the pool, how many YELLOW fish left in the sea? Game Master will add 5
small fish (green and blue) for each YELLOW fish left in the sea
i. 1 YELLOW left  add 5
ii. 3 YELLOW left  add 5
iii. 5 YELLOW left  add 10
4) Check to the pool, how many BLACK fish left in the sea? Game Master will add 1 small
fish (green and blue) for TWO BLACK fish left in the sea
i. 2 BLACK left  add 1
ii. 4 BLACK left  add 2
 You will have one minute per fishing effort and you will have two fishing efforts for this
session.
 Game Master please lead the game!
o For every one minute fishing effort, count the catch and report to Game Master

SESSION THREE
Instructions:

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 Jalan Danau Tamblingan no. 78 Tel/Fax: +62 361 289 338
Sanur, Bali 80228 E-mail:
Indonesia info@coraltrianglecenter.org
Web:
 Now let us check our sea. How many fish are left in the sea?
www.coraltrianglecenter.org
 To feed all the fishermen, each boat will need to have at least 5 fish to catch.
 Please now discuss for 3 minutes with your group and between group on how to catch the fish
to be able to feed everyone in the boat.
 3 minutes
 Ready for the next fishing effort?
 Game Master please lead the game!
o Each fishing effor will last for one minute.
o There will be two fishing effort for this session.

WRAP UP
 Let’s gather and look at our fishing efforts and catch.
 **go through catch per fishing effort for each group and session**
 Game Master please report the catch result from each group.
 Who is the winner?
 What happen to our sea and fish in the first session?
 What happen to our sea in the second session?
 What happen to our sea in the third session?

TAKE HOME NOTES

 The sea is not unlimited so are the fish.
 People are tend to fish more than it needs to catch for food and commercial
 There is always tendency to catch more and more fish from the sea, but if it is not regulated by
o Allowing for reproduction/replenishment, the size and ability to reproduce will
decrease over the time, resulting on low fishery productivity.
o Regulating fisheries resources need AWARENESS, KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL which
will allow managers or people to set up rules & regulation based on:
 Limiting catch (size and gears)
 Limiting time to catch (Open/seasonal closure)
 Sanction and compliance

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