Socioeconomic Monitoring
The Coastal and Ocean Resource Economics Program is currently involved in two socioeconomic monitoring efforts. The first is the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. It has been ongoing since 1998 and was designed to complement the sanctuary's ecological monitoring program. The Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary is the subject of the second socioeconomic monitoring program. This program is still in the planning stages.
Background
Florida Keys
Channel Islands
Background
Socioeconomic monitoring is a critical component of a complete monitoring program, the primary goal of which is to detect and document resultant changes in sanctuary resource utilization patterns and their impact on market and nonmarket economic values of sanctuary resources.
Ocean resources have long been an important component of the identity and culture of our country and few would dispute that they have great value. Where there is debate, however, lies in how these resources should be utilized and who should receive the benefits. The designation of a National Marine Sanctuary carries with it a connotation that the area being designated and the resources therein are particularly unique. Valuation of these resources must take into consideration a range of sanctuary-specific issues. For a synopsis of the use of valuation in the management of sanctuary resources, click here (pdf, 280kb).
Florida Keys
This program began in FY 1998 and was designed to complement the sanctuary's ecological monitoring program. In 1998, 50 social scientists and resource stakeholders met to help design the program. This meeting produced over 100 recommendations for socioeconomic monitoring. These recommendations have been prioritized and implemented as funding has become available. New elements are added to the program each year (see Florida Keys).
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, along with its partner agencies hosted a Marine Protected Areas Monitoring Workshop on March 14-16, 2003 at the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at the University of California, Santa Barbara. There was a consensus among workshop participants that the status quo approach to funding socioeconomic work is unacceptable. The workshop participants have made bold recommendations across all user groups. In their entirety, the workshop participants’ recommendations represent a level of investment without precedent within the National Marine Sanctuary System (see Channel Islands).
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