Humans usually have difficulties in understanding complex relations systemically. Incorrect assumptions are usually made in terms of time delays. In order to understand sustainability processes, the knowledge of these system properties is, however, essential.
The fisher game is a playful way to convey this knowledge. Different groups of players should independently try to catch as many fish as possible. Even though the teams get information on the remaining fish population every year, the game always ends in a massive overfishing of the oceans.
The reason for this phenomenon can be easily explained: If you catch too many fish in one year, you would have to stop fishing completely the next year, so that the fish population can grow back to its original size. As a rule, fisherman teams are reacting to dwindling fish populations by slightly reducing the fishing quota, so that the fish populations will be reduced even more as there are less spawners in the next generation. This problem is also referred to as the 'Tragedy of the commons'.
The game instructions and further details are attached.
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