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Direct Human Benefits:
Economics:
Marine protected areas have significant economic benefits as well, namely the assurance of sustainable commercial fisheries and the growth of profitable tourism markets. It is true that in the short-run, reserves could lead to struggle for fishermen due to the reduction of fishable waters, the higher levels of congestion, and potential competition. However, in the long run, a protected area will inevitably become an "optimal harvesting area" with "higher resource rents"(Grafton,16) under controlled fishing rates. But perhaps an even more beneficial economic outcome of marine reserves is tourism. According to the National Marine Protected Areas Center, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and other marine-related parks and refuges provide an "estimated total tourist contribution to the economy (1995-1996) of over 60 percent." Such activities as scuba diving, wildlife watching, boating, surfing, and snorkeling are included in this growing industry.
"Archives-What MPAs Provide the Nation." National Marine Protected Areas Center. 11
Oct. 2006. 17 Nov. 2007. <http://mpa.gov/helpful_resources/archives/benefits.html#social
>.
Grafton, R. Quentin, Tom Kompas, and Pham Van Ha. "The Economic Payoffs from
Marine Reserves: Resource Rents in a Stochastic Environment." International
And Development Economics. 05(3), 2007.
Education:
Fishery education is easily promoted through MPAs. Bringing awareness through tourism is a fantastic form of mass education. School age kids can be educated with field trips to the MPA and school age kids is where the future of our oceans lie. In addition to the fact that kids often bring what they learned from school trips home with them. MPAs make it easier to increase public access to information about marine areas. Visitor centers, museums, and tourist boat trips are how knowledge of the fishery problem will become public.
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