What’s the value of the marine environment? guest blog by Gareth Cunningham, Marine Policy Officer.
Putting a value on something that you can’t directly buy is always going to be tricky. What if i asked you to value your favourite view? Would the retail price of a framed picture to hang on your wall be about the right price? Probably not. The personal value is more likely to be much higher and linked to your memories of the place and how you felt when you visited it.
How about the value of something that helps you to earn your living, and without it you’d have no job and means to support yourself? Pretty high I’d guess.
Both those statements can easily be applied to the marine environment. The vista and wildlife that so many people enjoy has a value beyond the financial. But equally, to those who rely on it for a living through tourism and industries like fishing, its value is the means to provide a living.
It makes sense then, that something so important is protected and managed effectively, and the activities that take place in it are sustainable in the long term. If you don’t look after the environment and its rich wildlife, all the added benefits we rely upon for the economy and recreation will be lost.
With this in mind we looked around Wales for an example of where environmental management of the marine environment actually enhanced the local area. Without being biased, we think that RSPB Ramsey Island fits that description pretty well.
Ramsey is an example of how nature conservation can provide not only a rich and unique environment for wildlife, but also a variety of economic and social benefits. The area’s wildlife is a key part of the wildlife tourism offering of the area and a vital attraction for visitors to wildlife tourism. The St David's area. Ramsey and the surrounding marine area is an excellent example of different stakeholders working together to deliver for the marine environment, which in turn supports sustainable business.
But that’s enough of me talking about how great it is – have a look at this video we made.
So how do we achieve these benefits more widely? Well it really isn’t rocket science. We just need a strong steer from Welsh Government, and a desire to manage our seas in a sustainable way – a way that recognises the role of the ecosystem and protects it. The sea is a vibrant living resource, but needs careful management and protection of sensitive areas.
This doesn’t mean we can’t make a living from the sea or enjoy it – it just means we need to get the balance right. It’s something the RSPB , the Welsh fishing industry and other stakeholders are working hard on, all we need now is for Welsh Government to help deliver it too.
The Welsh Government will be consulting on marine issues in the New Year, so watch this space for more information about how we want your help in the coming weeks and months.
In the meantime, I’d love to hear your memories and stories of your link to the Welsh coast or see photos of your connections with it, please share your comments and images below.
Gareth Cunningham, Marine Policy Officer.