Commercial wild species rearing: Competing groups and regulation

Abstract

Unlike species in the wild, animals reared in captivity are regarded as property. The development of captive rearing enterprises that compete with the wild harvest can establish a pressure group with a vested interest in regulating harvesting from the wild. Despite the potential for aggregate gains, regulations have often worked against the development of captive rearing enterprises. This paper examines why regulations may not favor the captive rearing sector and why that sector has little incentive to impose regulations that could reduce the inefficiencies associated with harvesting from the wild.