Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
services which are inherently difficult to estimate. Hilmi
et al
.
[HIL 13] provided recommendations aiming at producing data useful
in economic studies.
There are, therefore, many challenges, but the economic aspect is
essential for stimulating political action against the harmful effects of
acidification. By evaluating the feasibility of solutions, as well as
political and environmental priorities, decision makers must
understand the value services and take into account the costs
associated with taking action or inaction. The lack of economic data
has been identified in several documents on ocean acidification and
brought to the attention of decision makers (e.g. [PRI 09]). Recently
new efforts have been made. For example, the first international
meetings on the economics of ocean acidification were organized in
2010 and 2012 [IAE 11, HIL 13]. This theme is increasingly more
present in scientific conferences, such as the Third International
Symposium on the Ocean in a High-CO
2
World
2
. The few recent
studies presenting the first economic evaluations of the effects of
acidification [BRA 12, COO 09, MOO 11, NAR 12] are briefly
summarized below.
5.4.3.1.
Fishing, aquaculture and food safety
Fishing covers 15% of the protein requirements for 3 billion
people, it is the main protein source for 1 billion inhabitants, and
generates 38 million jobs, 95% of these in developing countries
[TUR 12]. Revenues in fishing are 80-85 billion US dollars per year,
and 520 million people are directly or indirectly dependent on fishing
[SUM 11]. Even if acidification is far from being the only threat to
this industry, these numbers show that consequences can be
significant in terms of employment and food security.
The impact of ocean acidification on fishing and aquaculture can
be direct, through harmful effects on the species or ecosystem of
interest, or indirect, through alterations in the food web (impacts on
prey or predators of species of commercial interest) or modifications
of habitats.
