Abstract We compare how fisheries in three marine systems -from Atlantic Canada, Pacific Mexico, and the eastern United States -respond to significant environmental changes, whether deviation-amplifying or deviation-mitigating. We ask what triggers changes that can avert fisheries collapse and how this is affected by intersections of governance and environment. We conclude by affirming the importance of both exclusive, secure property rights, and community-oriented decision-making power in tipping the balance towards more adaptive ways of responding to environmental change
