Economic Value of Stream Degradation across the Central Appalachians

Laura E. Jackson, Brenda Rashleigh and Michael E. McDonald

Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy, 2012, vol. 42, issue 3, 10

Abstract: This study demonstrates a method to calculate the economic value of the loss of a highly valued ecosystem service—the provision of recreational fishing—across a multi-state assessment region. We estimated annual freshwater fishing expenditures foregone from degraded conditions in wadeable streams that are potential habitat to one or more of four sportfish species. Using probability-based federal surveys for data on sportfish presence, we developed range models for the four species in the mountainous portions of four U.S. mid- Atlantic states based on geophysical stream variables unrelated to habitat condition. From these models, we determined the proportion of the wadeable stream resource (44.2%) that could potentially host sportfish and allocated an estimate of annual regional freshwater fishing expenditures (US$826 million) from the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife- Associated Recreation to these stream segments. We attributed the absence of sportfish in these segments to stream degradation; an additional US$239 million was estimated as lost freshwater fishing expenditures. These figures suggest a considerable annual economic incentive for stakeholders to restore and protect stream habitat for the maintenance of sport fisheries. This method is readily transferable to other U.S. regions where long-term surveys that collect metrics linked to ecosystem services are in place.

Keywords: Agricultural and Food Policy; Environmental Economics and Policy; Resource/Energy Economics and Policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:jrapmc:143781

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.143781

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