331 



Measures of overall value amd importance 



The discussions of values of individual uses and the case studies of 

 specific estuarine systems present a confusing picture of the relation- 

 ship of estuarine uses to economic indicators. 



Estimates of the direct gross economic benefit of the estuarine zone 

 to the residents of the coastal counties can be made. The estimates of 

 economic activity generated by the presence of Narragansett Bay in 

 Rhode Island give a conservative annual economic benefit of $920 per 

 capita, $420 of this is personal income. Average personal income for 

 all of the coastal counties is, according to Bureau of the Census fig- 

 ures, $500 per capita greater than the average for the remainder of 

 the country. The total economic activity generated by this additional 

 personal income then amounts to about $1,100 per person, using the 

 Narragansett Bay multiplier values. 



The total direct economic benefit of the estuarine zone to the resi- 

 dents of the coastal counties is then about $60 billion in terms of 

 additional economic activity stimulated by the presence of estuarine 

 systems. This is not a measure of the total economic activity of the estu- 

 arine zone, but only of the "value added" to the total economic activity 

 of the coastal counties by the presence of the estuarine zone. 



Such gross means can give only an order-of-magnitude estimate of 

 even the direct economic value of the estuarine zone and cannot possi- 

 bly reflect either indirect benefits or the social importance of the estu- 

 arine zone, much less its ecological value. 



Valid criteria for evaluating the importance of the estuarine en- 

 vironment or the value of individual estuarine uses, to a community 

 must, however, go beyond the reach of economic approximation and 

 recognize the fundamental relationship between man and his environ- 

 ment. Wherever there are people the environment will be exploited 

 to satisfy the needs and desires of man and his civilization. 



Increasing environmental pressures from demographic and com- 

 mercial development are paralleled in the same community by the in- 

 creasing desire for greater recreational use. That these can be compat- 

 ible is clearly shown by the San Diego Bay example. Such community 

 reactions as in San Diego and in San Francisco demonstrate that, 

 while people need commercial development and use, they want a safe 

 and enjoyable environment at the same time. 



SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC TRENDS IN THE ESTUARINE ZONE 



At the present time, the major uses of estuaries, in terms of ^ross 

 monetary return are : military use, shipping, and industrial activities. 

 These uses are, of course, historical and do not necessarily reflect the 

 uses that would be made of the estuary under today's conditions or 

 future conditions, if each use were to compete for the water use at the 

 same time. In other words, historical use has brought about the present 

 use imbalance in many estuarine systems. However, given the oppor- 

 tunity to develop, other uses might attain equal importance economi- 

 cally while contributing important social benefits. 



Estuaries at the present time represent underdeveloped natural re- 

 sources that are important to the social as well as the economic well- 

 being of the Nation. Based on present trends and demands, there is 

 little doubt that there will be a tremendous need for estuarine uses 



