interests based on tradition, and public trust considerations, among others.
Historical (especially transitory) uses may have a priority in these processes.
Allocation decisions are typically spread across multiple agencies. Multi-use allocation decisions will have to be made in the context of these established
mechanisms.
10.2.1 Production Function
In making that happen, an economic framework is likely to be useful. The coastal
and marine resources and coastal infrastructure of a geographic region can be
thought of as inputs to ecological processes and economic activities that generate
the value (wealth) that flows from that region’s ocean resources. Understanding this
“production function”—how resources and infrastructure contribute to economic
value—is important if ocean resources are to be managed and used for maximum
sustained benefit. A common way to measure that benefit is to quantify (estimate)
the economic value generated by the economic and ecological processes that use the
resources. In the following pages, we review briefly the state of knowledge about
the links between marine resources and value generation. This information can
suggest the scale of certain economic benefits that may flow from co-location.
Economic value exists only in the context of human populations and societies.
One important determinant of economic value, therefore, is the people who participate in and receive benefits from the economic activity. The market and
non-market value generated from marine resources is, in part, a function of how
many people live, work, and play in the coastal and ocean areas in question, and
how many visitors and tourists come to the region. There are some exceptions to
this, especially in the more basic categories of ecosystem service values. For
example, the value of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) uptake by coastal and ocean waters is
largely independent of the population living near those waters. But most categories
of value will rise and fall with the number of participants; and that number can
change because of population trends, changes in tourism, changes in recreational
preferences, changes in wealth distribution, and other socioeconomic factors.
Value arises from marine resources because they provide ecosystem services and
products and services, some of which are traded in markets. The Millennium
Ecosystem Assessment (MEAB 2003) framework suggests the following classification of ecosystem services derived from coastal and marine resources:
• Provisioning Services
– Food (fisheries, aquaculture)
– Sea water
– Biochemical and genetic resources
– Minerals and other physical resources
236
H.L. Kite-Powell
Historical (especially transitory) uses may have a priority in these processes.
Allocation decisions are typically spread across multiple agencies. Multi-use allocation decisions will have to be made in the context of these established
mechanisms.
10.2.1 Production Function
In making that happen, an economic framework is likely to be useful. The coastal
and marine resources and coastal infrastructure of a geographic region can be
thought of as inputs to ecological processes and economic activities that generate
the value (wealth) that flows from that region’s ocean resources. Understanding this
“production function”—how resources and infrastructure contribute to economic
value—is important if ocean resources are to be managed and used for maximum
sustained benefit. A common way to measure that benefit is to quantify (estimate)
the economic value generated by the economic and ecological processes that use the
resources. In the following pages, we review briefly the state of knowledge about
the links between marine resources and value generation. This information can
suggest the scale of certain economic benefits that may flow from co-location.
Economic value exists only in the context of human populations and societies.
One important determinant of economic value, therefore, is the people who participate in and receive benefits from the economic activity. The market and
non-market value generated from marine resources is, in part, a function of how
many people live, work, and play in the coastal and ocean areas in question, and
how many visitors and tourists come to the region. There are some exceptions to
this, especially in the more basic categories of ecosystem service values. For
example, the value of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) uptake by coastal and ocean waters is
largely independent of the population living near those waters. But most categories
of value will rise and fall with the number of participants; and that number can
change because of population trends, changes in tourism, changes in recreational
preferences, changes in wealth distribution, and other socioeconomic factors.
Value arises from marine resources because they provide ecosystem services and
products and services, some of which are traded in markets. The Millennium
Ecosystem Assessment (MEAB 2003) framework suggests the following classification of ecosystem services derived from coastal and marine resources:
• Provisioning Services
– Food (fisheries, aquaculture)
– Sea water
– Biochemical and genetic resources
– Minerals and other physical resources
236
H.L. Kite-Powell