Contingent Valuation of Marine Protected Areas: Southern California Rocky Intertidal Ecosystems

Designation as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) can protect coastal ecosystems, but apparently has not effectively protected the rocky intertidal zone in urban Southern California. Here, illegal collecting and habitat disturbance harm coastal marine life. We surveyed day visitors to sandy beaches or adjacent rocky habitats in Orange County. Using the close-ended, double-bounded contingent valuation method, we estimate the benefit of more effective enforcement and management of MPAs designed to avoid coastal ecosystem decay. We solve the problem of sample selection bias, introduced by the likelihood that the sample disproportionately includes respondents who visit more frequently and who may have a higher willingness to pay (WTP). We estimate the WTP for enacting policies to reduce illegal collecting and onsite habitat disturbance to average $6 per family-visit. Our estimate is consistent with other studies that estimate consumer surplus at $15 per person-trip for nearby, lower quality beaches, and extrapolates from other studies to $3.6 $4.8 million per mile of coastline.