The objectives of this study are to provide a spatial analysis of the total economic value of the SA coast, focusing on the values generated by different types of protected areas versus other stretches of coast.
South Africa’s coastal resources are increasingly under threat from a variety of pressures, including recreational and consumptive use. Conservation planning studies have identified the need to increase the coverage of Marine Protected Areas and other conservation measures, and new laws are enhancing the opportunity for coastal protection. At the same time, local municipalities are now required to engage in detailed development planning, but do not see the economic justification for increasing conservation at the expense of valuable activities and coastal development. Ecological and economic models, based on investigation into public preferences using techniques such as conjoint rating, will be used to estimate the tradeoffs involved in the reduction or expansion of protected areas and other conservation measures.
