Which of the following is an example of the tragedy of the commons ? A. Fishing technology allowed huge catches of cod in the Grand Banks fishing grounds that collapsed the fishing industry in the 1990s as cod populations fell to very low levels. B. The Yellowstone National Park attracts visitors from all over the world. C. All nations should work together to lower greenhouse gas emissions. D. The U. S. EPA has enforced stringent environmental regulations.

A. Fishing technology allowed huge catches of cod in the Grand Banks fishing grounds that collapsed the fishing industry in the 1990s as cod populations fell to very low levels.

Explanation:

The tragedy of the commons is an economic problem in which every individual has an incentive to consume a resource at the expense of every other individual with no way to exclude anyone from consuming, and this will lead overexploitation of the resource until it becomes unavailable to everyone.

An example of the tragedy of commons is the Grand Banks fishing ground. For centuries, explorers and fishermen described this region as home to an endless supply of cod fish. In the 1960s and 1970s, advances in fishing technology allowed huge catches of cod. Following a few dramatically large seasons, the fish populations dropped, forcing Canadian fishermen to sail farther to maintain large catch sizes each season.

By the 1990s, cod populations were so low that the Grand Banks fishing industry collapsed. It was too late for regulation and management; the cod stocks had been irreparably damaged. Since then, the cod populations have remained low, and some scientists doubt the Grand Banks ecosystem will ever recover.