Game theoryClassroom · multi-user
Tragedy of the Commons — The Fishery
A shared fishery everyone harvests from: each round, decide how much to catch and watch whether the stock survives the class or collapses.
You’ll learn: Feel the conflict between individual gain and collective sustainability, and why rules or quotas exist to manage shared resources.
- Tragedy of the commons
- Common-pool resources
- Negative externalities
- Overharvesting vs. sustainable yield
Teacher guide
Students will learn to
- See how a shared resource everyone draws on gets depleted when each person acts in their own interest.
- Feel the tension between catching more now and leaving enough for the stock to regrow.
- Understand why rules, quotas, or communication (Ostrom) are needed to avert collapse.
Before the session — ask
- If a lake's fish regrow slowly, what happens if everyone fishes as much as they want?
- Whose interest is it in to hold back — and why might no one actually do it?
After the session — discuss
- Did the stock survive the rounds, or collapse? What drove the outcome?
- How much could the class have sustainably harvested each round versus what it actually took?
- What rule — a quota, a tax, a shared agreement — might have kept the fishery alive?
Timing
- Briefing & the rules3–5 min
- Six harvest rounds8–12 min
- Debrief & discussion8–10 min
Run it with your class
Students join with a code or QR — no account needed. Teachers start a session from the dashboard.