Shellfish Mariculture in Drakes Estero, Point Reyes National Seashore, California (2009) / Chapter Skim
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VIII. Human-Use Values - Economics, Recreation, and Aesthetics
VIII. Human-Use Values - Economics, Recreation, and Aesthetics
Pages 61-66
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From page 61... ...
In most cases, access to recreational amenities of parks and wilderness areas is not purchased directly in a market where prices can be observed (Bateman and Langford, Economic values are defined here as anthropocentric; that is, they are determined by reference to values received or perceived by human beings. It is possible to take the position that environmental resources also give rise to nonanthropocentric values that emerge from the moral interests or rights of nonhuman species (Foster, 1997; NRC, 2004b)
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From page 62... ...
Consumption goods produced within the conservation area may be timber in a multi-use national forest or cattle and oysters in a setting such as the Point Reyes National Seashore. Ecosystem services provided by aquatic and related terrestrial ecosystems generally include nutrient recycling, habitat for plants and animals, flood control, and water supply (NRC, 2004b)
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From page 63... ...
No social science research has been carried out to quantify or estimate the effects of oyster farming on the economic values generated by Drakes Estero or the Point Reyes National Seashore. Similarly, the recreation and non-use values generated by, and the importance of aesthetics to, the human uses of Drakes Estero remain unstudied.
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From page 64... ...
The oyster farming operation employs 30–40 people and produced 436,848 pounds of oyster meats in 2008 (Kevin Lunny, personal communication 5 March 2009 and California Department of Fish and Game) at an estimated value on the order of $2,000,000 based on NOAA's commercial landing statistics and the California Department of Fish and Game aquaculture survey database.
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From page 65... ...
It is not known whether the presence of the oyster farming operation has a significant effect on the number of annual visitors to the Point Reyes National Seashore and Drakes Estero. It seems plausible that the net effect of the oyster farm on the Point Reyes National Seashore/Drakes Estero visitor counts is positive since some visitors are reported to come to Drakes Estero in part to purchase oysters from DBOC, and it seems unlikely that visitors are deterred from coming because of the oyster farm.
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From page 66... ...
There is not sufficient quantitative information to assess the effect of oyster farming on ecosystem services provided by the estero, but the net effect could be positive due to the added filtering capacity and nutrient recycling provided by the oysters. From the non-use values estimated for wilderness areas in other parts of the United States, it may be inferred that Drakes Estero and the Point Reyes National Seashore have significant existence, option, and bequest value as protected environmental resources.
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