Economic Effects

The MedSeA project develops a conceptual framework for studying the direct and indirect economic impacts of ocean acidification. This pays attention to relevant dynamics and time scales, regional patterns, mechanisms (costs, prices, labour market, trade, income changes, expenditures, transport, etc.), valuation categories (use and non-use values and various sub-categories), economic demand categories and sectors (supply), and interactions between sectors (indirect effects) involved. Degrees of uncertainties should also be identified in this first task. Much can be learned here from existing integrated economic-ecological studies of ecosystem change and values, such as those for extensive studies of wetland ecosystems, with integrated studies of marine ecosystems already providing a useful starting point.

Tourism and aquaculture are important issues because Mediterranean acidification may affect occurrence of harmful algal blooms, jellyfish distribution patterns, and shellfish physiology. The links of these activities with other activities needs to be established to identify indirect economic effects of ocean acidification. Note that offshore fisheries will not be considered they are already affected by overfishing, which makes it difficult to identify effects from ocean acidification.

Specific objectives:

• Assess direct socio-economic effects of acidification in the Mediterranean Sea, focusing on tourism and aquaculture.
• Develop a hybrid ecosystem-based valuation approach to assess ecosystem damages, including the economic valuation of the carbon sequestration services in the context of acidification in the Mediterranean Sea.
• Propose adaptation tools and policies to limit the socio-economic impact of acidification on the Mediterranean area.

This questionnaire is part of an ongoing international project “Mediterranean Sea Acidification in a Changing Climate” (MedSeA), and it is addressed to producers from the Mollusc aquaculture sector. The questionnaire focus mainly on the possible effects of ocean acidification, sea warming, and other human-induced climatic and non-climatic stressors on this sector.