Five fishermen live in a village and have no other employment or income-earning possibilities besides fishing. They each own a boat that is suitable for fishing but which has no resale value. Fish are worth $5 per pound, and the marginal cost of operating the boat is $500 per month. The fishermen all fish a river next to the village. According to the following schedule, the fishermen have determined that, when there are more of them out on the river fishing, they each catch fewer fish per month.
Boats Fish Caught per Boat (pounds)
1 200
2 190
3 175
4 155
5 130
If each fisherman acts in his own best interest, will he continue to operate his boat each month? Why or why not?
