Conservation Value of Coral Reefs around Kish Island, Iran

• Published in: Marine resource economics Vol. 28; no. 4; pp. 331 - 343
• Main Authors: Madani, Shima, Martínez-Cruz, Adán L., McConnell, Kenneth E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago MRE Foundation, Inc 01.12.2013; University of Chicago Press
• Subjects: Bids; Climate change; Coral reefs; Econometrics; Economic analysis; Economic value; Environmental impact; Expected values; Extreme weather; Household income; Households; Income effect; Iran; Kish Island; Marine; Marine conservation; Median income; non-use value; Polls & surveys; Seas; Statistical results; Thalassorama; Underwater resources; Valuation; Variables; Vehicles; Willingness to pay; Iran; Coral reefs; Q57; Iran; non-use value; Kish Island; Q51; Q50
• ISSN: 0738-1360; 2334-5985
• DOI: 10.5950/0738-1360-28.4.331

We use a contingent valuation approach to estimate the economic value assigned to Iranian households for the preservation of coral reefs at Kish Island. These coral reefs survive in extreme weather conditions and, therefore, are used as a natural laboratory to study impacts of climate change. A one-and-one-half-bound elicitation process was implemented through a face-to-face survey. The vehicle payment is the purchase of a family pass to visit Kish Island. This pass is valid for five years. The collected funds would be used for conservation purposes. Total willingness to pay for five years of services provided by coral reefs at Kish Island is estimated in the range of US$20 to US$155 million, and from US$1.21 to US$9.13 on a per-household basis. This value is interpreted as a non-use value assigned by Iranian visitors and non-visitors of Kish Island.