A guide for planners and managers - IUCN

PART I
Strategies and Tools
primary objective, for example, the choices would be categories II, III or V. However,
the objective could also be accommodated by any of categories Ib, IV or VII, but not
by category Ia, which specifies strict protection. If the site could serve both tourism
and preserve genetic diversity equally, the best choice would be category II or III.
5.10 Economic Innovations
Table I-5. Protected Area Categories and Management Objectives
Management Objective Ia Ib II III IV V VI
Scientific research 1 3 2 2 2 2 3
Wilderness protection 2 1 2 3 3 – 2
Preservation of species and genetic diversity 1 2 1 1 1 2 1
Maintenance of environmental services 2 1 1 – 1 2 1
Protection of specific natural/cultural features – – 2 1 3 1 1
Tourism and recreation – 2 1 1 3 1 3
Education – – 2 2 2 2 3
Sustainable use of resources from natural ecosystems – 3 3 1 2 2 1
Maintenance of cultural/traditional attributes – – – – – 1 2
Key: 1= Primary objective; 2 = Secondary objective; 3 = Potentially applicable objective; – = Not
applicable
Traditionally, marine conservation has been based on ecological concerns and goals.
But, as the human pressures on marine and coastal ecosystems have intensified, so
economics approaches have come to play an increasingly important role in the
establishment and operation of MPAs. In particular, it is now recognized that questions
of financial viability and economic sustainability are of central importance to the success
of marine protected areas. This chapter describes some of the innovations which have
taken place over the last decade in the application of economic tools and measures
to marine management problems, especially their use to justify the existence of
protected areas, to guard against marine degradation and loss, and to raise the funds
necessary to conserve the marine environment.
Valuation: a means of justifying the existence of marine protected areas
It has become increasingly difficult to justify the existence of marine protected
areas on biological and ecological grounds alone. Coastal communities need to earn
a living, marine-based industries need raw materials and other infrastructure, and
governments need to generate income, employment and foreign exchange, as well as
to win votes. The needs of these producers and consumers often provide powerful
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