CHAPTER 2 • The Challenge of Demonstrating the Socio-economic Benefits of ICM
49
This highlights one of the basic problems we face in promoting sustainable development of coastal resources, namely that economic planning and management systems are designed to manage human activities - not natural systems.
The sustainable use management of coastal ecosystems requires a creative fusion
of a wide range of disciplinary skills and knowledge. Figure 2.4 can help to demonstrate this observation. Towards the left hand side of Fig. 2.4 disciplines such as hydrology, geomorphology, physics, and ecology have a major contribution to make to
developing planning and management practices that will maintain the health and productivity of the coastal system. Towards the right hand side of Fig. 2-4 disciplines such
as economics, sociology, business management, or spatial planning will make a major
contribution to the development of resource utilisation strategies and planning and
management arrangements that will help to ensure the sustainable use of the renewable ret'ources produced by the coastal system.
With reference to Fig. 2.4 it can be seen that a variety of different economic activities can be sustained by the different resources generated by one coastal ecosystem.
There may be competition among different users for the same resource and there will
be corresponding economic links among the different users. For example, there may
be a finite supply of mangrove poles to make fish traps. If one user exploits the resource
heavily there will be less poles for other users.
In theory there is a point of Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) for each renewable
resource produced by an ecosystem beyond which production declines (see Fig. 2.5).
MSY of one resource cannot be viewed in isolation from the MSY of other resources
from the same ecosystem. Maximum exploitation of one resource can have a negative
influence on other resources. For example, if a mangrove is clear cut to maximize the
extraction of timber there can be a reduction in leaf litter production which enters the
estuarine food web. This can reduce secondary production of organisms which form
the catch of local fishermen.
In economic terms, there are decreasing fmancial returns per unit effort expended
for the extraction of the maximum sustainable yield of a renewable natural resource,
such as mangrove timber, by individual competing for that resource. This means that
there is a point on a curve of production (point "m" in Fig. 2.5) beyond which there are
decreasing returns per unit effort/investment.
Fig. 2.S. Single sector perspective
Effort
x
x = Point of maximum
sustainable yield
m = Point of marginal
return
49
This highlights one of the basic problems we face in promoting sustainable development of coastal resources, namely that economic planning and management systems are designed to manage human activities - not natural systems.
The sustainable use management of coastal ecosystems requires a creative fusion
of a wide range of disciplinary skills and knowledge. Figure 2.4 can help to demonstrate this observation. Towards the left hand side of Fig. 2.4 disciplines such as hydrology, geomorphology, physics, and ecology have a major contribution to make to
developing planning and management practices that will maintain the health and productivity of the coastal system. Towards the right hand side of Fig. 2-4 disciplines such
as economics, sociology, business management, or spatial planning will make a major
contribution to the development of resource utilisation strategies and planning and
management arrangements that will help to ensure the sustainable use of the renewable ret'ources produced by the coastal system.
With reference to Fig. 2.4 it can be seen that a variety of different economic activities can be sustained by the different resources generated by one coastal ecosystem.
There may be competition among different users for the same resource and there will
be corresponding economic links among the different users. For example, there may
be a finite supply of mangrove poles to make fish traps. If one user exploits the resource
heavily there will be less poles for other users.
In theory there is a point of Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) for each renewable
resource produced by an ecosystem beyond which production declines (see Fig. 2.5).
MSY of one resource cannot be viewed in isolation from the MSY of other resources
from the same ecosystem. Maximum exploitation of one resource can have a negative
influence on other resources. For example, if a mangrove is clear cut to maximize the
extraction of timber there can be a reduction in leaf litter production which enters the
estuarine food web. This can reduce secondary production of organisms which form
the catch of local fishermen.
In economic terms, there are decreasing fmancial returns per unit effort expended
for the extraction of the maximum sustainable yield of a renewable natural resource,
such as mangrove timber, by individual competing for that resource. This means that
there is a point on a curve of production (point "m" in Fig. 2.5) beyond which there are
decreasing returns per unit effort/investment.
Fig. 2.S. Single sector perspective
Effort
x
x = Point of maximum
sustainable yield
m = Point of marginal
return