When fisheries managers are unable to set or enforce restrictions on fishing that would ensure sustainable exploitation of the resource, the problem lies in the ability of institutions to take all forms of information into account in decision making, the influence of pressure groups and election cycles and a lack of useful feedback when bad outcomes occur. When scientific information is uncertain or not trusted, it can be replaced by negotiation. Some governance structures are more adapted than others to take the long-term view' that is essential for sustainable exploitation of the resource.