Influence of forest and rangeland management on anadromous fish habitat in Western North America: economic considerations.

Abstract

Although many effects of forest and rangeland management on anadromous fisheries are difficult to measure, economic methods for the evaluation of costs and benefits can be helpful. Such methods can be used to address questions of equity as well as efficiency. Evaluations of equity can show who bears the costs and who captures the benefits of management actions, but cannot judge the goodness of any particular allocation of cost and benefits. The efficiency of the management and commercial harvest of anadromous fish is determined to a large extent by the regulation of fish harvest. Although the gross market value of harvested fish is large, the net economic value of the fishery may be very small where the thrust of regulation is to limit harvest by forced in efficiencies infishing, With the institution of limited entry in commercial salmon fisheries, opportunity increases for generating net economic value from increased fish runs. Also, potential economic benefits to consumers and anglers may accrue from maintaining or enhancing anadromous fish populationsc Where these benefits exceed costs of habitat protection, a valid economic basis exists for incorporating fish-habitat protection in forest and rangeland management practices.

Citation

Meehan, William R. tech. ed. 1985. Influence of forest and rangeland management on anadromous fish habitat in Western North America: economic considerations. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-181. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment Station. 27 p