Non-market valuation and marine management: Using panel data analysis to measure policy impacts on coastal resources

Much of the economic value of marine and coastal resources lies outside traditional markets. The effective management and protection of these resources require these non-market values to be estimated and incorporated in the decision-making process. However, studies that measure non-market values are time-consuming and expensive. In benefit transfer applications, policymakers can refer to the values derived from existing studies and modify them to estimate local resources. The usefulness of these values for benefit transfer will be determined by the comprehensiveness of the literature.;The first chapter of this dissertation inspects the literature's coverage of valuation data related to marine and coastal resources in the U.S. (e.g. recreational fishing, wildlife, reefs, coastal wetlands). With the exception of beaches, the literature is generally insufficient to support effective policy-making. Most resources have not been well studied: many values have not been estimated in recent years, the geographical distribution is incomplete, and the application of methodologies is uneven. The second chapter focuses on beach recreation. Regression analysis is used to examine beach values, how and why they vary (e.g. method, geography, value type, quality of estimation), and the impact this variation can have on beach management. Both chapters attempt to illustrate the need for non-market values while highlighting their current limitations in policy-making.;The final chapter aims at improving our use of the non-market valuation literature and involves a different approach to understanding how environmental change and policy action affect marine and coastal values. The research examines the relationship between policy intervention, environmental change, and the subsequent shifts in beach values. Using panel data analysis, a statistical link is established between environmental conditions and policy actions that have an impact on beach attendance measurable in economic terms. Along with broader applications, this link could lead to more informed policy development and better management of marine and coastal resources.