Socioeconomic Monitoring Program for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

"The primary goal of the Research and Monitoring Program is to provide the knowledge necessary to make informed decisions about protecting the biological and natural ecosystem processes of the Sanctuary and its resources" (FKNMS Final Management Plan, Volume 1, page 148). Reaching this goal requires information on the socioeconomic implications of implementing the sanctuary management plan. Placed beside comparable ecological information, a socioeconomic perspective provides insight into changes in resource use and the contribution of sanctuary actions towards a sustainable economy in the Keys.

Background
Socioeconomic Monitoring Goal
Objectives
SPAs and ERs

Background

This program began in FY 1998 and was designed to complement the sanctuary's ecological monitoring program. In 1998, 50 social scientists and resource stakeholders met to help design the program. This meeting produced over 100 recommendations for socioeconomic monitoring. These recommendations have been prioritized and implemented as funding has become available. New elements are added to the program each year.

Socioeconomic Monitoring Goal

The primary goal of socioeconomic monitoring is to detect and document resultant changes in sanctuary resource utilization patterns and their impact on market and nonmarket economic values of sanctuary resources.

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Objectives

To fulfill the socioeconomic monitoring goal requires:

• Monitoring the spatial pattern and intensity of on-water recreational and commercial use, especially with regard to activities inside sanctuary preservation areas (SPAs) and ecological reserves (ERs).
• Defining and monitoring indicators of compliance with regulations and enforcement efforts.
• Monitoring and assessing visitor and resident knowledge of sanctuary management strategies and regulations, and their attitudes and perceptions regarding their appropriateness and effectiveness.
• Monitoring and assessing socioeconomic impacts on groups whose activities were either enhanced, curtailed or displaced by Sanctuary regulations.
• Monitoring and assessing the contribution of key “export” sectors of the Monroe County economy (tourism, retirees, residents working outside the county, and commercial fishing) based on their uses of Sanctuary resources.
• Monitoring and assessing the effectiveness and efficiency of educational programs and public outreach activities related to the FKNMS.
  

SPAs and ERs

A great deal of emphasis has been placed on monitoring Sanctuary Preservation Areas (SPAs) and Ecological Reserves (ERs) within the sanctuary. Commercial fishing panels have been monitored since 1998 for financial performance (see Commercial Fishing Panels). Market and nonmarket economic values of both artificial and natural reefs have been estimated (see Recreation/Tourism). Two artificial reefs to be sunk in the FKNMS have also been monitored, pre- and post-sinking. This latter effort is designed to test the hypothesis that introducing an artificial reef into a natural reef environment will reduce usage on surrounding natural reefs. The objective is to test affordable methods of estimating uses in small, discrete areas, such as SPAs and ERs (see Reef Valuation).


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