Decision Making for Sustainable Use and Development - Coastal Lagoons: Ecosystem Processes and Modeling for Sustainable Use and Development - page 339

Time Scale

Restrictions and Constraints for Each Option

Trajectory

Sustainable
Management
Goal

Lagoon Natural Capital
Socio-Economic System
(State)

T2

Tn

Modeling
Alternatives
or Options

Alternative
Comparison

Evaluation
and/or
Monitoring

Valuation
(Use/Non-Use Values)

Cost -Benefit Analysis (+/ − )
(CBA)

Decision Making (Choosing One Alternative)

Implementation

FIGURE 8.4 Cost-benefit analysis in decision making.

This is an unfortunate but globally recurring scenario. Biological monitoring
indicates that a decline in water quality (usually associated with an increase in
nutrient loading and toxics) has shown corresponding declines in fisheries stock in
the last half century. Use of those water quality indicators in a model would allow
for prediction of the resulting estimated economic decline. Costs of clean-up or other
water quality improvement efforts could then be factored into the equation to cal-
culate both short and long-term net gains or losses. These are additional concerns
and values that the decision maker must factor into the cost-benefit analysis.