Economic Value of Stream Degradation across the Central Appalachians
| dc.creator | Jackson, Laura E. | |
| dc.creator | Rashleigh, Brenda | |
| dc.creator | McDonald, Michael E. | |
| dc.date | 2017-04-01T19:22:59Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-07-09T06:50:19Z | |
| dc.description | This study demonstrates a method to calculate the economic value of the loss of a highly valued ecosystem service—the provision of recreational fishing—across a multi-state assessment region. We estimated annual freshwater fishing expenditures foregone from degraded conditions in wadeable streams that are potential habitat to one or more of four sportfish species. Using probability-based federal surveys for data on sportfish presence, we developed range models for the four species in the mountainous portions of four U.S. mid- Atlantic states based on geophysical stream variables unrelated to habitat condition. From these models, we determined the proportion of the wadeable stream resource (44.2%) that could potentially host sportfish and allocated an estimate of annual regional freshwater fishing expenditures (US$826 million) from the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife- Associated Recreation to these stream segments. We attributed the absence of sportfish in these segments to stream degradation; an additional US$239 million was estimated as lost freshwater fishing expenditures. These figures suggest a considerable annual economic incentive for stakeholders to restore and protect stream habitat for the maintenance of sport fisheries. This method is readily transferable to other U.S. regions where long-term surveys that collect metrics linked to ecosystem services are in place. | |
| dc.identifier | doi:10.22004/ag.econ.143781 | |
| dc.identifier | https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/143781/files/12-3-2.pdf | |
| dc.identifier | http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/143781 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/581399 | |
| dc.language | eng | |
| dc.publisher | ||
| dc.source | http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/143781 | |
| dc.title | Economic Value of Stream Degradation across the Central Appalachians | |
| dc.type | Text |