The non-extractive economic value of spiny lobster, Panulirus argus, in the Turks and Caicos Islands

Abstract

SummaryIncreases in spiny lobster size and abundance have been observed within some marine protected areas (MPAs). To date, the potential economic benefits of these changes have been assumed to derive from the effects of emigration of adult lobster to adjacent fishing grounds and/or increased larval export to downstream nurseries that sustain fisheries. According to economic theory, these effects may provide consumptive (extractive) economic value to the fishery but are only part of the total economic value. Non-extractive economic value resulting from viewing wildlife may also have an important impact on the overall economic viability of some MPAs. This research examined scuba diver preferences in the Turks and Caicos Islands using a paired comparison conjoint survey and assessed the influence that spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) presence had on market share for dive charter packages of varying environmental quality and price. Market simulations showed significant increases in market share for dives where spiny lobsters were present, implying, for the first time, that spiny lobsters have non-extractive economic value. This non-extractive value of spiny lobster may have an important impact on the economic viability of some MPAs, especially those in regions like the Turks and Caicos Islands that are highly dependent on marineoriented nature tourism.

Policy analysis for tropical marine reserves: challenges and directions

“…It is known that snorkelers and divers often prefer viewing ‘big stuff’ and ‘icon’ species (Williams and Polunin 2000). Research has demonstrated that divers significantly prefer viewing larger and/or more abundant spiny lobster (Rudd 2001a) and Nassau grouper (Rudd and Tupper 2002), species that might benefit from marine reserves. Similarly, economists have found that ‘flagship’ or icon species such as elephants and rhinoceros have value in attracting tourists (see van Kooten and Bulte 2000).…”

Identifying the Link between Coastal Tourism and Marine Ecosystems in the Baltic, North Sea, and Mediterranean Countries

“…8 See also Rudd [54] for a discussion of importance over…shing and MPAs for tourism sector in a case of the Turks and Caicos Islands.…”

Local knowledge assessment for a small-scale fishery using geographic information systems

“…Scientific research has been undertaken in TCI individually on the spiny lobster (see, for example Medley and Ninnes, 1997;Medley, 1998;Rudd, 2001) and queen conch fisheries (Ninnes, 1994;Medley and Ninnes, 1999;Tewfik and Béné, 2001;Clerveaux and Danylchuk, 2003;Rudd et al, 2003), and on both species together (Clerveaux and Vaughan, 2003). A number of general overview papers have been published on the TCI fishery and its viability (see, for example, Rudd, 2003;Bennett and Clerveaux, 2003), and also on the decision processes of local harvesters relative to fishing behaviour and the length of the open harvest season Halls et al, 1999;Medley, 1998;Rudd, 2003).…”

“…However, previous attempts to collect LK from harvesters met with little success (Rudd, 2001). In the one instance where LK data were collected by students from the School for Field Studies in South Caicos, harvesters were subsequently criticized as they naively reported to the students that lobster were routinely taken under the legal size limits.…”

“…In the one instance where LK data were collected by students from the School for Field Studies in South Caicos, harvesters were subsequently criticized as they naively reported to the students that lobster were routinely taken under the legal size limits. Thereafter, the harvesters became reluctant to talk further to researchers for fear of further reprimand or other repercussions (Rudd, 2001).…”