Putting your best fish forward: Investigating distance decay and relative preferences for fish conservation

Brian Danley, Erlend Dancke Sandorf and Danny Campbell ()

Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, 2021, vol. 108, issue C

Abstract: Easily recognizable species are often used as so-called ‘flagship’ species to raise awareness and funding for conservation action, but this practice has been criticized for neglecting low-profile species. One component of biodiversity is the geographic distribution of where species live, with species that live in only one habitat being endemic to that particular habitat. This study investigates how respondents to a discrete choice experiment ascribe value to the conservation of five different fish species with one species being non-endemic to the study area and familiar to most respondents while another, much lesser-known species, is endemic to the study area. We use a latent class model to investigate possible distance decay effects in which species respondents prioritize for economic valuation. Results suggest individuals who live relatively close to unfamiliar species may be among those who are more likely to value such species higher relative to more familiar substitute species.

Keywords: Flagship species; Endemic species; Latent class multinomial logit model; Discrete choice experiment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C25 H41 Q51 Q57 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jeeman:v:108:y:2021:i:c:s0095069621000553

DOI: 10.1016/j.jeem.2021.102475

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Journal of Environmental Economics and Management is currently edited by M.A. Cole, A. Lange, D.J. Phaneuf, D. Popp, M.J. Roberts, M.D. Smith, C. Timmins, Q. Weninger and A.J. Yates

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