Since publication of Garrett Hardin's touchstone article describing the “Tragedy of the Commons,” researchers in political science, economics, anthropology, and many other disciplines have grappled with the problem of common-pool resources (Science 162 [1968]: 1243–48). How is society to consume, in a sustainable manner, a good that is both difficult to exclude people from using yet also highly consumable? A well-established body of literature shows that “tragedy” is not inevitable (notably, Gary D. Libecap, Contracting for Property Rights, 1989; Elinor Ostrom, Governing the Commons, 1990; Susan Hanna et al., Rights to Nature, 1996), but the problem remains very real. In this context, fisheries have come to symbolize many of the central problems societies grapple with when faced with a common-pool resource. Thus, books such as this one that introduce readers to the complexities of fisheries management are highly anticipated.

In a tightly written yet wide-ranging book, Elizabeth R. DeSombre and J. Samuel Barken provide a neatly constructed introduction to the fundamental dilemmas and our present state of knowledge regarding fisheries management. Writing for the general reader, rather than the academic or the practitioner, they deliver on the promise of providing a solid introduction to the problems facing the world's fish. Engagingly, the book begins by walking the readers through the natural and social history of a fish that they have undoubtedly encountered in many restaurants—Chilean sea bass. Using this fish as a gateway, they quickly expand their focus to the broader state of the world's fisheries, and then introduce readers to the fundamental social, structural, and ecological problems that make fisheries-management problems so difficult.

Subsequent chapters address these issues in greater depth. Chapters 2–4 continue to provide information on big-picture issues necessary to complete our understanding of the complexities of fisheries. Chapter 2 provides recent historical context for understanding the rapid international growth in fishing and fishing management. Chapter 3 refines this focus to examine the configuration of the current fishing industry—including markets and industry structure, as well as an extensive (and well-argued) discussion of the perverse effects that subsidies have had on all levels of the global fishing industry. These chapters effectively explain the primary drivers of overexploitation, and lead naturally into Chapter 4, which examines governments' efforts to reign in overfishing (both domestically and internationally).

After this carefully built and sequenced set of chapters, the shift in Chapter 5 to a specific topic of aquaculture (rather than further layering of institutional complexities) seems somewhat artificial. But aquaculture is a key topic to address in any broad introduction to fisheries, and the authors certainly do justice to the topic. Finally, Chapter 6 returns to the broader focus that marked earlier chapters, examining the role that individuals can play as change agents in fisheries management—both as individual consumers and as political agents. This chapter also examines the roles of nongovernmental organizations and large corporations in shaping fish markets into structures built upon sustainability and accountability, and maps a route forward to sustainability that includes all of these groups, as well as governmental and intergovernmental organizations. As the book closes, the text returns to that plate of Chilean sea bass, and the reader is left hopeful and empowered to address fisheries management issues—a rare feat for a field of study that often leaves those readers discouraged.

For an academic political scientist looking for advances in common-pool resource theory, or an expert in fisheries management looking for new insight, this book may be frustrating. But this frustration is not entirely fair because Fish is not written for the academic or practitioner. Rather, it effectively applies social science theory to help the general reader understand the dilemmas posed by complex common-pool resources such as fisheries. Examples of this application include the “Tragedy of the Commons” complexities of international governance and the influence of economic exclusion zones, property rights/patterns of ownership, scientific uncertainty, and collective action dilemmas. While theory is not extended in this book, the authors effectively use existing theory to explain to the reader why the dilemmas exist. Such an approach is quite rare in books aimed at the general reader, and so the authors should be commended for making social science theory accessible and useful.

Given its focus on explaining the global fishing industry and empowering the general reader to address fisheries-management issues (either as a consumer or through political activity), this book should not be used in an advanced natural-resource management or theoretically oriented class. Anthony Charles's (2001) Sustainable Fisheries Systems would be a better and more challenging fit. Similarly, Callum Roberts's (2007) The Unnatural History of the Sea provides the historical context that many readers seek. However, Fish could be a gateway into the world of natural-resource management theory and research. Specifically, DeSombre and Barken have provided a useful text for an undergraduate introductory course in food politics or fisheries. It could also be an interesting supplemental text for an environmental politics or social movements course, as well as a useful read for a researcher needing to quickly get up to speed on the basics of fisheries-management issues.