By interviewing stakeholders who are depending on the ecosystem in question for their income (e.g. dive shop owners, fishers, tourists and other tourism industry) and the use of complementary data, a compelling picture of the importance of healthy marine ecosystems for the economy can be painted, e.g. through displaying the expected annual revenues in the different commercial sectors related to the coral reef. This valuation method is based on an approach developed by the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) and the World Resource Institute’s (WRI) Coastal Capital Project. Moreover, the use of questionnaires supports awareness building among the various stakeholders being interviewed and initiates a dialogue about the importance of conservation and sustainable management.
- Identification and pre-analysis of the relevant stakeholder groups
- Personal interaction with different stakeholder groups while running questionnaires
- Well-considered communication about the survey’s purpose
- Knowledge of the best and most appropriate valuation tool
- A personally performed interview is crucial to success and the receiving of data. A simple delivery of the questionnaires does not activate enough responding.
- The software used was adjusted by the St. Maarten Nature Foundation to reflect St. Maarten’s unique ecological and economic situation.