ABSTRACT
This chapter shows that captors can be turned into culturists. Capitalist entrepreneurs from without became the captors of the locations that until the introduction of the lease system had been commons. The homogenising view of people’s behaviour inherent in ‘Tragedy of the Commons’ scenarios grossly underestimates the importance of socio-cultural diversity. Fisheries are economically, socially and culturally complex, diverse and dynamic systems of interactions between humans and the natural environment. Privatisation in the Zeeland mussel fishing and farming industry provides an example of successful fisheries management and sustainable use. Although the state had privatised large parts of the Dutch, and especially the Zeeland inshore waters, to enable oyster and mussel farming, it refrained from intervening in the industries concerning production. Only a small number of Texel oyster traders perceived advantages in oyster farming, but they have never been very successful.
