An Alternative to Precaution

The article discusses the precautionary regulation in regards to the U.S. fisheries industry. The application of the precautionary principle varies and highlights the uneasy tension in how U.S. marine fisherman are managed. Proponents that take a cost-benefit analysis approach suggest that regulation should be justified by a quantitative and qualitative assessment of regulatory costs and benefits. The gatekeeper of agency regulation, the Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), has appointed several proponents of precautionary regulation. The article suggests that while refinements have yet to be made ​“given the sweeping nature of pending fishery management initiatives, the resolution of the battle between the precautionary principle and OIRA’s regulatory role” should be of interest.