Economic value of conserving coral reef ecosystems in Kenting

• Main Authors: Yu-Syuan Zeng, 曾御軒
• Other Authors: Chun-Hung Lee
• Format: Others
• Published: 2016
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/63600400631159855173

碩士 === 國立東華大學 === 自然資源與環境學系 === 104 === Coral reefs, the “rain forests of the sea” are among the most biologically rich and productive ecosystems on earth. They also provide valuable ecosystem benefits to millions of coastal people. Despite the provision of multiple valuable services, coral reefs face a number of anthropogenic threats, including destructive and non-sustainable fishing practices; sedimentation; pollution and waste; mining and dredging; non-sustainable tourism practices; and climate change related increases in temperature and sea-level. This study analyzes the tourist’s preferences for the conservation of coral reef ecosystem in Kenting, and related activities as well as their marginal willingness to pay for six attributes, namely Living coral coverage(%),biodiversity, marine ecological protective area (%), water quality levels, number of visitors and coral reefs welfare foundation. These attributes had been identified by a choice experiments process with (scuba) divers,fishmen and visitors, and applied to determine tourists’ preferences and their willingness to pay. About analysis model,we used the conditional logit and random parameter logit model to calculate the marginal willingness to pay value of each respondent for the attributes, and used latent class model to test the issue of heterogeneous preferences for the conservation of coral reef ecosystem in Kenting. According to the valuation results: (1) Divers, fishmen and visitors would support the implementation of coral reefs conservation policy. The most important attributes were increased in populations of species and improved water quality. (2) Increased living coral coverage to 50%-70%(GOOD) was the most preferred scenario (confidence interval of welfare change at 95% of NT$51/person/trip) followed by improved water quality (confidence interval of welfare change at 95% of NT$38.7/person/trip) and set the 75% total capacity control (confidence interval of welfare change at 95% of NT$33.0/person/trip). (3) About tourists’ willingness to pay,we estimated that fishmen total willingness to pay (NT$213.2/person/trip) higher than divers (NT$196.2/person/trip) and visitors (NT$182.7/person/trip) to support coral reef management. (4) Used latent class model found that different preferences between the tourist groups, therefore raised the preference’s heterogeneity for the conservation of coral reef ecosystem in Kenting.