OPIC: ARGUMENT131 - The following appeared in an environmental newsletter published in Tria Island.
"The marine sanctuary on Tria Island was established to protect certain marine mammals. Its regulations ban dumping and offshore oil drilling within 20 miles of Tria, but fishing is not banned. Currently many fish populations in Tria's waters are declining, a situation blamed on pollution. In contrast, the marine sanctuary on Omni Island has regulations that ban dumping, offshore oil drilling, and fishing within 10 miles of Omni and Omni reports no significant decline in its fish populations. Clearly, the decline in fish populations in Tria's waters is the result of overfishing, not pollution. Therefore, the best way to restore Tria's fish populations and to protect all of Tria's marine wildlife is to abandon our regulations and adopt those of Omni."
WORDS: 333 TIME: 00:30:00 DATE: 2007-7-30 16:48:23
Simply adopting the regulations of Omni would not do the same good to Tria. I will list my idea below.
First, the premise on which the author relies is the decline of fish is due to overfishing in Tria. However, there is not sufficient evidence to support the assertion. The regulation of banning dumping and offshore oil drilling within 20 miles can not ensure no contamination would happen. The sea is ever circulating, water is flowing, so it is likely any waste would float with the sea current to the limited area of Tria and kill a great deal of fishes, thus the number of fish decreased. Or maybe, oil drilling devastates the whole enviroment of the sea around the Tria, and cause the decline of fish species.
Then, the author states that omni forbids dumping, oil fishing and oil drilling within 10 miles, and no significant decline of fish population is reported. Thereby, by adopting such regulation, Tria can also achieve in increase its fish population; it is unreasonable in some respects. In one respect, even Tria bans dumping and oil drilling in 20 miles, fish population is declining, let along within 10 miles, in turn the number of fish would decrease even quickly. In another aspect, whether Omni's ban effective protects the fish population is still arguable. Since Omni has banned fishing, so perhaps banning fish within 10 miles around Omni is in fact protecting the fish population.
Last, even we accept that over fishing results the decline of fish population in Tria and the regulation of Omni is effective in protecting the fish species, it might still difficult for Tria to achieve its goal--restore the fish population and protect all marine species. As our common sense, once spoiled, it will take much greater effort to restore. So merely regulates the dumping, fishing and oil drilling in 10 miles would help little to increase the population of fish. It only can ensure no further destroy would happen. While other ways like adding their food supply, or advancing oil drilling technology in order that diminishes the influence on living creatures in the sea.
In sum, before nay decision is going to made, people in tria should take full consideration about the points I stated above. Otherwise, such rashly decision would turn out to be counterproductive to one’s goal.