ABSTRACT
Chapter 2 discussed the need for better policies for conservation and use of aquatic genetic resources. One of the biggest challenges to policy making is the question of ownership of and control over aquatic genetic resources. Who has the right to permit or deny access to genetic resources (whether salmon or seaweed or sponges) and under what circumstances? It's a complicated enough question in the world of plants and, as we shall see in this chapter, it's far more complicated when it comes to fish – and not just because fish have a penchant for migrating large distances. Unlike plant genetic resources, many of which already exist in collections, aquatic genetic resources are still mainly gathered from in situ sources – ie from their natural habitat in the wild.
