Economic Analysis for Ecosystem-Based Management: Applications to Marine and Coastal Environments

Ocean and coastal management regimes are increasingly subject to competing demands from stakeholders. Regulations must not only address fishing, recreation, and shipping, but also sand and gravel mining, gas pipelines, harbor/port development, offshore wind and tidal energy facilities, liquefied natural gas terminals, offshore aquaculture, and desalinization plants. The growing variety and intensity of ocean and coastal uses increases the call for a more holistic, comprehensive, and coordinated management approach that recognizes the often complex relationships between natural and human systems. For both economist and non-economist audiences, this book describes ways in which economic analysis can be an important tool to inform and improve ecosystem-based management (EBM). Topics include modeling economic impacts, benefit-cost analysis, spatial considerations in EBM, incentives and human behaviors, and accounting for uncertainty in policy analysis. Throughout the book the authors elucidate the different kinds of insights which can be gained from the use of different economic tools. In this rigorous and accessible work, the authors defy the conventional stereotype that economic perspectives necessarily favor the greatest commercial development. Instead, they demonstrate how comprehensive economic analyses consider the full range of potential services offered by marine and coastal ecosystems, including the conservation of biodiversity and creation of recreational opportunities.

Table of Contents:
Foreword Preface 1. Economics and Ecosystem-Based Management 2. Frameworks for Economic Evaluation 3. Modeling Human Behavior and Interaction with the Coastal Marine Ecosystem 4. Non-market Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Environmental Resources 5. Incorporating Uncertainty into Economic Decision Frameworks 6. Regulatory Methods and Governance 7. Spatially Refined Management and Zoning of the Coastal Marine Ecosystem 8. Economic Analyses for Coastal Policy: Guidelines and Case Studies Appendix A: Four Case Studies from Massachusetts 1. Offshore Wind Farms 2. Offshore Sand and Gravel Mining for Beach Nourishment 3. Impacts of Pollutants in the Coastal Zone 4. Spatial Controls to Address Fishery Conflicts Appendix B: A Mathematical Example of Quasi-Option Value References

About the Author :
Daniel S. Holland is a research scientist at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, and a former senior economist at the New Zealand Seafood Industry Council. James N. Sanchirico is a professor of environmental science and policy at the University of California at Davis and a former senior fellow at Resources for the Future. Robert J. Johnston is director of the George Perkins Marsh Institute and a professor of economics at Clark University. Deepak Joglekar is an Assistant Professor in Residence at the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Connecticut.

Review :
'An important and original resource on ecosystem-based management. This book brings complex concepts to a broad audience in a way that will allow them to use the tools of economics appropriately and effectively.' Douglas Lipton, University of Maryland 'If Benjamin Franklin was correct in his assertion that i? Diligence is the mother of good lucki? , then the authors have created a book that is destined to be a must-read for those who will be involved in the public discussions that are certain to follow the April 2010 sinking of Deepwater Horizon and the ensuing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico' Richard F. Kazmierczak, Louisiana State University Agricultural Centre, Journal of Natural Resources Policy Research, October 2010. 'This is an ambitious, and mostly successful, attempt to convey complex economic ideas and models to the reader in a way that is professionally useful without requiring a foray into old calculus or economic textbooks from distant college days.' Richard F. Kazmierczak, Louisiana State University Agricultural Centre, Journal of Natural Resources Policy Research, October 2010. 'this book is the ideal read' Richard F. Kazmierczak, Louisiana State University Agricultural Centre, Journal of Natural Resources Policy Research, October 2010. 'This book is one of the most reader friendly economics texts referring to economics and ecosystem management that I have read.' Eagle Bulletin, December 2010