Mangrove swamps are worth some gold
By Denis Delbecq • July 18th, 2008 in 10:39 · Category: Actuality
It was known, but he does not feel pain in it to repeat it: the protection of mangrove swamps is necessary to preserve the peach. It is what conclude researchers having studied in detail the Bay of California, in Mexico. They tried to assess the economic value of mangrove swamps, true nurseries with fish. She would come on average to 24 000 euro a year and hectare. (1)
A bit everywhere on the planet, mangrove swamps move back. These aquatic forests are shaved to dig basins for the animal husbandry of shrimps, drained to reach lands and to construct tourist facilities, etc. According to a report of 2008 of the Organisation of the United Nations for feeding and agriculture (FAO), 20 % of mangrove swamps (that is 3,6 million hectares) disappeared between 1980 and 2005. And if rhythm decelerated, these aquatic forests lose another one hundred thousand hectares a year. And however, besides positive action for biodiversity, mangrove swamps are also barriers against the force of elements: in southeast Asia, notably in Thailand, the coastal regions the mangrove swamp of which had been shaved knew much more damage than others during the tsunami of December, 2004.
In Mexico, Enric Sala and its colleagues leant over thirteen regions of peach along the coasts of the Bay and of the Gulf of California. They determine a narrow correlation between the abundance of the mangrove swamp and the quantities of fish and of caught shellfishes: these are directly proportional to the square root of surface of the neighbouring mangrove swamp. The team driven by Enric Sala assesses the economic value of mangrove swamps in a fork of 17000 has 34000 euro the hectare, without counting the possible consequences of tourism. On average, it is two hundred times more that the value fixed by the Mexican Committee of forests Salted and his colleagues underline that, considering request in animal proteins, the economic potential of mangrove swamps should continue growing. Of what to make think the authorities of Mexico City, no?
(1) Salted and al. Annals of the American Academy of the sciences of July 15th, 2008
Picture: © Denis Delbecq - on 1997
Article read 1,788 times. Tags:biodiversite, mangrove swamp, ocean, peche
Comments in 
I would like to know how to determine these stocks on Africain west quotations, these sums are a shock argument for the leaders and lessors of plans of conservation or of management of fishery resources, these research axles are pertinent and to generalise according to me.
Aquerir this methodologie would interest me a lot, I want to professionaliser me in this way, if you have contacts able give information to me, or works of references concerning this écosystemes, I follow peneur!
Thank you, Hervé Moinecourt.
which is an interactive platform of Natural network Valuation and the financing (located in the Low Countries) the founder of which is Mr Dolf De Groot, who was part of the team of researchers who published the famous article on the complete value of ecosystematic services in 1997 (cf following link for a translation of the article in French:
http://lan redec.free.fr / shine / nature_paper_tr.html)
To you there toruverez of information on the methodologies of valuation, as well as a base of data of studies of case as we worked out (direct link: http://www.eyes4ea rth.org / casebase/)
For the person of Maritnique, you could contact Mr Joël Raboteur, economist in UAG in Guadeloupe and which has already worked on the economic valuation of the mangrove swamp of Port-Louis in Guadeloupe.
For the person who wishes connaitre methodologies used in this type of studies, I can give information to her by mail and also transmit studies.
For information, I had opportunity to work in 2005 on the socioéconomique value of the lagoon of the island of Moorea (French Polynesia). The report is téléchargeable by copying following link:
http://www.fsd.nl/downloadattachment/71350/59748/MSc%20thesis,%20mahe%20cha rles; %20coral%20reefs%20Moorea%202005.pdf
To note, a site worked out by DIREN Alsace and BE (ACTEON) on subject:
http://economie-envi the site of D4E of the ministry ronnement-alsace.ecologie.gouv.fr / and which is also enough given methodology and example (especially on the themes of the water).
Mahé CHARLES
mahecharles@yahoo.fr