To use fisheries biologist jargon, a good regulation satisfies resource objectives. Regulations in a broad sense are based on the biological truism of Compensatory and Additive mortality. Whoa now, you say. You're spouting them, there big words again. Let me explain.
All animals die.
It's mother nature's way of balancing the population with the habitat. The population does not change and remains in balance with the habitat. Biologists call this Compensatory mortality. This concept is the basis of all wildlife management. The idea works fine as long as anglers or hunters do not remove more individuals than can be compensated by a reduction in other mortality factors.