Messolonghi-Etolico Lagoon Fishery

Resource System
Coastal lagoon ecosystem
Resource Units
A variety of fish stocks, including, mullet, sea-bream, eel, and sea-bass

The Messolonghi-Etolico lagoon is in the northern part of Patraikos Gulf, on the west coast of central Greece. The original case, which was published in 1984, catalogues an action situation with approximately 200 independent fishermen and 170 fishermen in 11 co-ops. The resource units are mullets, sea-bream, eel, and sea-bass. The co-ops feel the independents are free-riders on co-op efforts to trap fish; independents resent the co-ops' privileges, power, and subterfuges to restrict membership. The result is inefficient use of the lagoon's fish, violent confrontations, gear violations, and ecological stress.

This case study is part of the original Common-Pool Resource (CPR) database. A summary of the original CPR coding conducted in the 1980s by Edella Schlager and Shui Yan Tang at Indiana University may be found under the CPR tab in the Institutional Analysis section below.