CHAPTER 3.— THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC VALUES OF 



ESTUARINE USE 



Chapter 2 described the most important uses of the estuarine zone. 

 There are a variety of uses associated with demographic and indus- 

 trial development in the coastal counties; each biophysical region 

 has very similar kinds of uses to the others, but there are differences 

 in intensity of certain kinds of use in different biophysical regions, 

 and also in individual areas within regions. 



Such differences tend to be related to the availability for exploita- 

 tion of a particular kind of resource; such as sunshine and beaches 

 in Florida, oil in Texas and Louisiana, deep safe harbors at New 

 York and San Francisco, salmon runs in Washington and Alaska. 

 Each of these stimulates emphasis in estuarine exploitation for a 

 particular kind of use, sometimes to the extent of excluding all other 

 uses either by expropriating all available space or damaging the en- 

 vironment for other uses. 



Estuarine use is a complex assortment of interlocking and over- 

 lapping types of estuarine resource exploitation. 



All of such uses have value, both individually and as part of the 

 development and use of the entire estuarine resource for the benefit 

 of the present and future national community. The mission of this 

 chapter is to show that the importance and total value of any estuarine 

 system lie not in the measure of economic value for any particular 

 use, but in multiplicity of use related to the needs of people who live 

 there or otherwise depend on the estuarine resource. 



The approach used is twofold. First, the overall economic develop- 

 ment of the estuarine zone and the economic values of several individ- 

 ual uses show the relationship of one use to other uses. Then the balance 

 of uses in several estuarine systems shows the relationship of com- 

 munity needs to estuarine uses. 



The common denominator in this discussion is people; their eco- 

 nomic needs combined with their social desires and values are what 

 determines the socioeconomic demands on the biophysical estuarine 

 environment. 



Section 1. Economic Development of the Estuarine Zone 



Estuarine areas have been a key factor in the development of our 

 Nation. Long before the settlement of Plymouth, British, French, 

 and Spanish fishermen were exploring the North Atlantic fishery 

 resources including those in the Gulf of Maine and along Georges 

 Bank. The need for shore bases to support the cod fishery of the New 

 England coast was a significant factor in stimulating exploration and 

 settlement. 



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