Name: _________________________________________________ Date: __________________________ Per: ____________
Tragedy of the Commons Lab – PART 1
ROUND 1 - Blind Fishing in a Common Lake:
Each member of your lab group represents the head of a family (a fisherman) where the only source
of income is to sell your daily fish catch. In order for your family to survive, you must catch more
than one fish. The only place to catch fish is a small local lake. You must catch the "fish" from the
lake with a straw (fishing pole). Each student will get a chance to fish once a year (which lasts 10
seconds) and each time you fish you may take as many fish as you like from the lake. After the
annual fishing season has ended, the fish still left in the lake will reproduce during the off-seasoneach remaining fish is able to reproduce one (1) new fish.
Guidelines:
1. Be sure all members in your lab group are evenly spaced around your work station and
everyone can reach the center.
2. You share the small local lake with other families, this lake can only hold a certain amount
of fish.
3. You don’t know the biocapacity of the lake at this time.
4. You must catch at least one (1) fish for your family to survive.
5. You complete four (4) seasons of fishing.
6. Each season of fishing, you will trade who “fishes” first
7. If you are unable to catch enough fish to support your family you are OUT of the game
Procedure:
1. The local lake is represented by the bowl and the straws are your fishing poles. You will
fish by placing the straw through the opening in the cover, and sucking through the straw
until you feel you have a fish. You pull the straw out of the lake at that time and place your
fish in your paper cup.
2. You each have 10 seconds to fish, you may catch as many fish as you want. Stop after 10
seconds and repeat until everyone has fished.
3. Record the results in Data Table 1 below.
4. At the end of the round (all people have fished or the lake is empty) return the bowl to your
teacher to allow fish to reproduce.
5. Repeat for three more seasons
Data Table 1:
Season:
# of fish at
beginning
of season
# of fish
taken
by
Fisher 1
# of fish
taken
by
Fisher 2
# of fish
taken
by
Fisher 3
# of fish
taken
by
Fisher 4
Total fish
left at the
end of the
season
1
Unknown
Unknown
2
Unknown
Unknown
3
Unknown
Unknown
4
TOTAL
Unknown
--------------
Unknown
--------------
*** When you fail to catch at least two fish, you and your family are dead – record an X in the
data table for the remaining seasons.
1
Round 2 - Cooperative Fishing in a Common Lake and a Private Lake:
Procedure:
1. In this round you will have two lakes to fish from: the local common lake and each
fisherman owns a private lake.
2. You are encouraged to talk and strategize, with the other fisherman. You will also be able to
look in the lake while you are fishing.
3. The common lake can only hold sixteen (16) fish.
4. The private pond can only hold four (4) fish.
5. You must remove at least one (1) fish from the common lake and one fish from your private
lake each season…so you mush catch at least two (2) fish total to survive.
6. You may remove as many fish as you wish from each lake.
7. After each season, return the common lake and the private lake to the teacher for
“reproduction”.
8. Record your results for both the common and private lake (record ALL group members’
data for common lake only.)
Data Table 2 – Common Lake:
Season:
# of fish at
the
beginning of
the round
1
16
# of fish
taken by
Fisher 1
# of fish
taken by
Fisher 2
# of fish
taken by
Fisher 3
# of fish
taken by
Fisher 4
Total fish
left at the
end of the
season
------------
------------
------------
------------
---------------
2
3
4
TOTAL
----------------
Data Table 3 – Fisherman Owned Private Lake:
Season:
# of fish at
the beginning
of round
1
4
# of fish
taken this
round
# of fish at the
end of the
round
---------------
---------------
2
3
4
--------------TOTAL
2
Tragedy of the Commons - Round 1 & 2 Discussion Questions:
1. Did anyone in your group take too many fish? If yes, how did that make you feel?
2. Did everyone try to take as many fish as possible? Explain why or why not. Does society reward
those with the “most”?
3. Did anyone sacrifice their family’s number of fish, for the good of the community? Explain why or
why not? Does society ever reward people who make sacrifices for their community?
4. In Round 2, how did your strategy change, if at all? Does it make a difference to know what the
rewards are?
5. Is it possible to maximize the number of fish caught person AND the number of fish remaining in
the lake at the same time? If yes, explain how and if no, explain why not.
6. Think of a local commons that you are familiar with. [parking lots, bathrooms, bookstalls, etc.] Do
similar situations arise? Explain how might those problems be solved?
7. What are some natural resources that are common resources?
8. What are the global commons? Are these being used wisely? Explain why or why not?
9. What can people do to use these resources more sustainably?
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Name: _________________________________________________ Date: __________________________ Per: ____________
Tragedy of the Commons Lab – PART 2
Round 3 - Real World Fishing:
Each one of you represents the head of a family (a fisherman) where the only source of income is to
sell your daily fish catch. In order for your family to survive, you must catch enough fish to pay
your bills and make a profit to pay for your living expenses. The only way to make money is to catch
and sell fish from the small local lake, which can accommodate up to 16 fish. In this round, each
time you fish you may take 2, 3 or 4 fish from the lake. Each fish has a different cash value based on
its color. After the annual fishing season has ended, any remaining fish will reproduce once during
the off-season- each remaining fish is able to reproduce one (1) new fish (based on color- a
maximum of 4 each- total of 16). If you are unable to catch enough fish to support yourself and your
family your game is over.
Procedure:
1. In this round, different colored fish have different value AND there are expenses.
2. Each of you will start with $25 in ocean currency
3. You are given the option of fishing gear:
a. Fishing pole (straw) – One-time fee of $1
b. Fishing net (spoon) – Annual fee of $5
4. You will get 10 seconds to fish. Remember, you must catch enough to support your family and pay
your annual expenses (at least $20 per year).
5. At the end of the first fishing season, fill in your worksheet. If you are unable to cover your annual
expenses, you have gone bankrupt and are OUT for the rest of the game.
6. If your group still has fish remaining in the lake, continue to run another annual fishing season
(Year 2a).
7. Repeat steps 2 – 5 for as many seasons as you can.
8. Once the resource has been completely depleted, total up your worksheet.
Real World Fishing - Budget Sheet
Fisherman Name: ______________________________________
Year - 1 Operating Costs:
Starting Amount
$25
(minus)
Annual Fishing Fees:
Fishing Permit
Boat Maintainence/ Fuel Fees
Cost of Living (rent, food, etc.)
$5
$5
$10
Option - Choose your Fishing Equipment:
Fishing Pole (straw )one time fee $1
Large Fishing Net (spoon) annual fee $5
Total Operating
Costs
** Note: You need at least $20 worth of fish each year to survive
Year - 1
Profits:
Goldfish $5
=
x
$
4
Greenfish $6
x
Redfish $8
x
Bluefish $12
x
Total Profits
[Subtract]
Operating
Costs
-
Total Profit/Loss Year
1
Real World Fishing - Budget Sheet
Fisherman Name: ______________________________________
Year - 2 Operating Costs:
Starting Amount
$25
(minus)
Annual Fishing Fees:
Fishing Permit
Boat Maintainence/ Fuel Fees
Cost of Living (rent, food, etc.)
$5
$5
$10
Option - Choose your Fishing Equipment:
Fishing Pole (straw )one time fee $1
Large Fishing Net (spoon) annual fee $5
Total Operating
Costs
** Note: You need at least $20 worth of fish each year to survive
Year - 2
Profits:
Goldfish $5
=
x
Greenfish $6
x
Redfish $8
x
Bluefish $12
x
$
Total Profits
[Subtract]
Operating
5
Costs
Total Profit/Loss Year
1
Tragedy of the Commons - Lab Analysis Questions:
1. What happened the first time you went “fishing”?
2. How did you fish in Rounds 1 and 2? Explain why?
3. Did you get different results for the common lake in Round 2? Why?
4. Did you fish differently in the common lake then in the private lake? Explain.
5. Describe a strategy that would be the ideal way to manage the common lake?
6. Mathematically, what is the best strategy for harvest the natural resources?
7. When the different values of fishes and expense were added – how did that change ‘the game’?
8. Describe how this a model for sustainability?
9. If this is explained as the mindset “If I don’t use it someone else will”, would this describe your
strategy in the first round?
10. Describe what strategies help prevent “tragedy of the commons”?
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11. Think of a situation in the world today that is “tragedy of the commons”. What is that problem, how
do you think it could be solved?
10. Did a particular “type” of fish disappear faster than others? How does this relate to “economically
valuable” species in nature and their extinction rates?
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