Abstract
A perennial problem in environmental resource management is targeting an efficient level of resource provision that maximizes societal well-being. Such management requires knowledge of both costs and benefits associated with varying management options. This paper illustrates the challenge of estimating the benefits of an improvement in a marine resource when secondary data must be used, and when total economic benefits include non-use values. An example of non-use values is existence value, which is not contingent on resource extraction nor recreational activities. State of the art techniques for adapting secondary data, or “benefit transfer”, are reviewed in the context of increasing anadromous salmon for an example Western US policy scenario. An extensive summary of applicable primary studies is provided, compiling observations from several studies surveying several thousand Western US households. The studies consistently indicate a high willingness to pay for increased salmon abundance. Analytical techniques for transferring data are described, with calculation examples using published tools, focusing on meta-regression and structural benefit transfer. While these advanced benefit transfer tools offer perspective on benefits beyond what can be learned by relying on a single study, they also represent a variety of challenges limiting their usefulness. While transparently navigating these issues, a monetized estimate of increased salmon for the policy case is provided, along with discussion on interpreting benefit transfer techniques and their results more generally. From this synthesis, several suggestions are also made for future primary salmon valuation studies.
Highlights
In the Western US, migratory salmon are iconic symbols of nature’s strength and bounty
To satisfy the first step, we describe an illustrative policy case of the Willamette
We review the context and background for various available study cases to gauge similarities with the policy case, and to address any potential study quality or bias issues
Summary
In the Western US, migratory salmon are iconic symbols of nature’s strength and bounty. Wild salmon stocks have precipitously declined in the last century (Nehlsen et al, 1991). Some populations may be on the brink of extinction, already the fate of hundreds of West Coast evolutionarily significant units (Gustafson et al, 2007). Numerous anthropogenic stressors have played a role, such as dams, overfishing, hatchery practices, and multiple forms of habitat degradation (Stouder et al, 1997; Lackey et al, 2006). Negative impacts from climate change have been recognized (Doney et al, 2012). Policymakers are increasingly called upon to consider ways of mitigating impacts and/or promoting salmon recovery. Numerous state and federal policies are oriented toward this goal, such as Total Maximum Daily Loads for pollutants such
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