Bequest Values for Marine Resources: How Important for Indigenous Communities in Less-Developed Economies?

Abstract

Communities owning and living on ancestral land tend to have a strong sense of stewardship over the land and its resources, which may translate into an economic value to present generations of being able to pass on ancestral lands to future generations (i.e. bequest value). This study estimates bequest values to local users of a traditional fishing ground on the Coral Coast of Fiji, using a contingent valuation approach. Using monetary as well as time-based contributions, bequest values are estimated at between FJ$1.25–1.41 (US$0.64–0.73) per individual per week, or FJ$183.90 (US$106.91) per household per year. This represents a significant proportion of stated average household expenditure, comparable to spending on durable household goods, and clothes and footwear. These results suggest that low-income groups may have significant bequest values, which should be accounted for in developing-economy valuation studies.