TITLE:
What's The Catch?
VALIDITY:
consequence to 809.1, 1179.1 and 1179.3.
DESCRIPTION:
Beachgoers in the seaside town of @@ANIMAL@@-on-Sea were surprised (and nauseated) when thousands of @@DEMONYM@@ green mackerel washed ashore, dead and stinking from being thrown overboard from fishing trawlers some days previouly. These fish were dumped by the trawlers because their catches of these fish had exceeded quotas, making it illegal for them to bring them to shore.
OPTION 1
"Look, our lads don't like throwing good quality fish overboard either," complains boat captain Willy Chuckett. "Thing is though, you can't always say what fish you're gonna catch when you drop a net. I can't stop fishing if I've got other quotas that we haven't reached yet, can I? I'm not saying you should ditch the quota system, but maybe let us land the catch and anything we're not allowed to sell the government can take off us for free. You can then ditch it, or send it to starving war orphans in Marche Noire, or whatever."
OUTCOME:
fish often spend more time on transport boats than in the water
OPTION 2
"That's silly - we're not trying to limit incomes, we're trying to protect the environment and future fish stocks," explains fish ecologist Wanda Howe. "We should ban catch-dumping, fine over-fishing, and subsidise fishermen who show good ecological practices by intentionally underfishing. That way fish stocks will replenish, but no-one will be left in poverty."
OUTCOME:
fishing boats sit in drydock hauling in netfuls of government handouts
OPTION 3
"Quotas and subsidies, incentives and punishments... it's basically getting to be a big bureaucratic mess," moans your Environment Minister. "Wouldn't it be simpler if we just stopped fishing altogether? If people want fish, they can get them from enclosed fish farms. The environment will thank us for it."
OUTCOME:
a meal of cod and chips is a rare and expensive delicacy