Resursseilleen

Resursseilleen is a conceptual framework in resource governance and environmental economics that describes a hypothetical, shared marine system where maritime resources are collectively managed to promote long-term ecological and economic sustainability. The term is a neologism used in theoretical policy discussions to explore how common-pool resources in the ocean might be governed when multiple actors and jurisdictions share access to finite stocks such as fish, minerals, and other biotic or abiotic goods.

The etymology of resursseilleen reflects a blend of words for resources and sea, and the concept emerged in early 21st-century academic discourse as a tool for examining cooperative governance in transboundary marine environments. It is not a formal international treaty or universally adopted regime, but rather a model used to compare governance designs, incentive structures, and outcomes under different rules and institutions.

Key features of the resursseilleen framework include: multilateral or multi-stakeholder governance, shared data and monitoring systems, negotiated extraction quotas, benefit-sharing mechanisms, and adaptive, ecosystem-based management. Proponents argue that such a framework could mitigate the tragedy of the commons by aligning incentives for conservation with local and regional livelihoods, while critics point to enforcement challenges, governance complexity, risk of free-riding, and unequal impacts on various communities.

In practice, resursseilleen functions as a theoretical reference rather than a turnkey policy. It informs discussions on blue economy strategies, marine spatial planning, and transboundary resource management, while illustrating the pressures and trade-offs inherent in governing shared ocean resources. See also common-pool resources, blue economy, and integrated ocean management.