[bduerst]

The free-for-all exploitation of ocean resources that we have now is from the free market.

Fishing quotas that are enforced by regulatory bodies are what still prevent it from running rampant within the waters of said organizations.

[bpodgursky]

What are you talking about? This is the absolute definition of the Tragedy of the Commons -- when you have a public resource it is in everyone's interest to exploit.

The free market does not just mean "anarchy! take everything!" There's no market here!

[bduerst]

You comment is an appeal to extremes fallacy.

If you're resorting to arguing the semantic meaning of Free Market, then it is definitively "an economic system in which prices are determined by unrestricted competition between privately owned businesses."

With natural resources, the free market is certainly an unrestricted first-come first-serve market. Fishing quotas are restricted competition and price influential, which makes it not a free market, despite your attempts to redefine it as such to fit a narrative.