Presentation at the 3rd International Marine Conservation Congress (Glasgow 14 - 18 Aug 2014)

1. www.ieep.eu
@IEEP_eu
Socio-economic benefits of MPAs:
how and why to identify, assess and value them?
Marianne Kettunen
Senior Policy Analyst, Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP)
18 August 2014
International Marine Conservation Congress (IMCC3), Glasgow, Scotland
Picture © Stefan Simis

2. • The How – how to carry out a socio-economic
assessment of MPAs
• The Why – how can assesment of MPA benefits
support conservation objectives and sustainable use of
natural capital
• Based on Kettunen & ten Brink (2013) Social and
Economic Benefits of Protected Areas - Assessment
Guide
Content / food for thought
Picture © IEEP M. Kettunen

3. Key steps for assessing benefits of MPAs
Picture © S. Simis

4. • What is the motive for / purpose of assessment ? → This helps
to determine scope, methods, communication etc.
• Possible purposes for assessment
– Understanding, awareness and advocacy
– Support to decision-making and management (MPA zoning,
optimising benefits from multiple sites etc.)
– Identifying and assessing social impacts (benefits with non-market
value, equity between beneficiaries etc.)
– Mobilising funds
Step 1: define your purpose
Picture © IEEP M. Kettunen

5. Step 2: understand the basics of ES valuationPicture © IEEP M. Kettunen
A range – or rather a web – of marine / coastal ecosystem services,
providing different kinds of benefits …

6. Step 2: understand the basics of ES valuationPicture © IEEP M. Kettunen
… that lead to different kinds of values !

7. Step 2: different value
indicators Picture © IEEP M. Kettunen
Quantitative
Qualitative
Monetary
Full range of benefits underpinned by biodiversity
(e.g. yet unknown benefits)
Monetary: market price of products from MPAs,
value of carbon storage, avoided costs of water purification etc.
Quantitative: amount of people enjoying products from
MPA, volume of stored carbon, volume of purified water
etc.
Qualitative: range of various benefits
provided by MPA, dependency of people on
these benefits etc.
Tip of the iceberg only!
Might - or might not - be the icing on the cake ?!

8. Step 2: geography of benefits & stakeholders
Picture © IEEP M. Kettunen
Pictures © M. KettunenPictures © M. Kettunen
Local benefits of (coastal) MPA:
– Food supply and security (fish etc.)
– Protection against natural hazards (eg mangroves)
– Local community livelihood (fisheries, tourism …)
– Purification of coastal water
– Etc.
Regional and national benefits:
– National food supply and security
– Recreation and tourism
– National natural & cultural heritage
– Etc.
Global benefits:
– Carbon storage / sequestration
– Global food supply and security (fish etc.)
– Recreation and tourism at global level
– Etc.

9. Step 2: aiming for the net benefits Picture © IEEP M. Kettunen

10. • Scoping assessment provides an overall picture of all benefits
and values
– Helps to ensure that no benefit is ignored, even if it has no economic
(market) value
– Helps to identify existing information and gaps
– Overall picture of all stakeholders
– Helps to raise awareness and engage stakeholders
– Helps to (further) identify the purpose and needs for assessment
• Detailed valuation, inc. resources and focus, easier to
determine based on an appropriate scoping study
• Interpretation, use and communication of results
Step 3: approach the assessment in stages
Picture © IEEP M. Kettunen

11. How assessing MPA benefits supports
conservation?
Picture © S. Simis

12. MPAs & poverty reduction
Fiji (Navakavu), Solomon Islands (Arnavon Islands), Indonesia (Bunaken) and
Philippines (Apo Island)
Socio-economic assessed of MPA benefits (qualitative
and quantitative)
• Increased household incomes from new sources of
livelihoods, especially tourism
• New governance mechanisms, involving
communities in decision-making
• Empowering women economically and also socially
• Increased fish catches leading to a greater protein
intake and perceived improvement in children’s
health
• MPAs associated with strengthened unity and social
cohesion, sense of belonging and cultural traditions
• → local / regional support to MPAs and
conservation
Picture © IEEP B. Allen
Source: Leisher et al (2007)

13. xxx Picture © IEEP B. Allen
Picture ©
http://www.turismodecastellon.com/107063_en/Columb
retes-Islands-Natural-Park/
MPAs & commercial food production
Columbretes Island Marine Reserve (Spain)
Socio-economic assessed of MPA benefits (quantitative)
• Palinurus elephasis is the most commercially
important spiny lobster in the Mediterranean and NA
• Over the period of 10 years, MPA, occupying 18% of
the regional lobster habitats, was responsible for
over 80% of the regional egg production
• After ~ 20 years of protection, regional egg
production was 6 times greater than it would have
been without the establishment of MPA.
• → local / regional support to MPAs and
conservation, given commercial benefits
Source: Díaz et a. (2011) Marine Ecology Progress Series, 433:149-157

14. xxx Picture © IEEP B. Allen
Picture ©
http://www.turismodecastellon.com/107063_en/Columb
retes-Islands-Natural-Park/
MPAs & job creation
Twelve marine Protected areas (MPAs) in southern Europe
Socio-economic assessed of MPA benefits (quantitative
and monetary)
• Yearly local incomes generated by the use of MPA
amount approximately to €720,000 per MPA in the
commercial fishing industry.
• Commercial fishing generates approximately 54 jobs
per MPA on average.
• → local / regional support to MPAs and
conservation, given employment benefits
Source: Díaz et a. (2011) Marine Ecology Progress Series, 433:149-157

15. Picture © IEEP B. Allen
• A good, robust, fit-for-purpose assessment
• Interpretation: Providing the right context to the results → ensuring
synergies between benefits to people and conservation
• Audience: Identifying target audience for communication and how to
reach them → creating support to conservation
• Strategy for use (short and long term): Relevant processes, windows of
opportunity for use in decision-making → opportunities and “piggyback
rides” for endorsing conservation objectives
• Resources: Ensuring appropriate resources for up-take and
implementation of results (inc. in long-term) → resource mobilization for
conservation.
Key to success:
interpretation, use & communication of results

16. Picture © IEEP B. Allen
How assessment of MPA benefits can support conservation objectives
and sustainable use of natural capital ?
→ It needs to be done right (clear purpose, robust socio-economics,
audience, communication etc.)
→ … but “right” does not always mean a monetary valuation
→ There needs to be a link to / take up by MPA management
Convincing, documented evidence exists on MPA benefits – we need
equally convincing and documented evidence on the uptake of benefit
assessments - and related benefits to / coexistence with - MPA
management objectives !
Conclusions

17. www.ieep.eu
@IEEP_eu
Marianne Kettunen
Senior Policy Analyst IEEP
mkettunen@ieep.eu
IEEP is an independent, not-for-profit institute dedicated to the analysis, understanding
and promotion of policies for a sustainable environment in Europe.
Presentation linked to the work carried out in the context of EU FP7 OPERAs project
(http://operas-project.eu/)
Thanks ! Picture © Stefan Simis