Many fisheries management systems have individual rights at their basis but are not always successful. The question is what would have to change in fisheries law when community rights form the basis of management. Applying this idea globally, the principle of the common heritage of humankind could provide a future foundation. The principle incorporates intra- and intergenerational justice and has a clear biocentric component but is now only applicable to the ocean floor beyond national jurisdiction and to celestial bodies other than Earth. If this principle would also apply to highly migratory fish species like Atlantic bluefin tuna, not only an analysis of the applicable law but also of the principle´s roots in environmental ethics, the economic consequences of such application and a comparison with the idea of public trusteeship provide helpful insights. It appears that the common heritage of humankind can enable both utilisation and preservation of natural resources.

Erik van Doorn ist wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter am Walther-Schücking-Institut für Internationales Recht an der Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel und Postdoktorand am GEOMAR Helmholtz-Zentrum für Ozeanforschung Kiel. Er hat in Groningen, Utrecht und Tromsø studiert. Erik hat in der Rechtsabteilung des Internationalen Seegerichtshofs in Hamburg gearbeitet. In seiner Forschung konzentriert er sich auf marine Ressourcen, marine Raumplanung, Aspekte der marinen Aufnahme von Kohlenstoffdioxid und den Rahmen für die Meeresbeobachtung. Seit 2017 ist Erik Mitglied des wissenschaftlichen Lenkungsausschusses des internationalen Projekts Surface Ocean - Lower Atmosphere Study (SOLAS).

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