Economics

There is no doubt that economic factors drive changes in the coastal zone. From failing factories to bustling condo marinas, economic shifts can change the face of landscapes and coastlines.

How do economic factors interweave with environmental concerns?

When does economic development harm the environment, and when does it aid environmental improvements?

How will traditional landscapes and ways of life — such as the Chesapeake Bay's fabled fishing communities — fare in the face of economic shifts and pressures on increasingly valuable waterfront property?

In order to help address these and other issues, Maryland Sea Grant supports research and analysis into a range of economic issues. Early on, for example, Sea Grant funded research into the economic value of striped bass. More recently, Sea Grant economists have explored ways for placing value on coastal resources that are not necessarily captured in the conventional market place. Still other work has connected difficult biological and fisheries management issues with economic analyses, as with the important Chesapeake Bay blue crab fishery.

Useful Links

Coastal Resource Valuation

Economic Value of Recreational Boating (Maryland Sea Grant)

Environmental Finance Center

Fisheries Economics and Statistics (NMFS)

Environmental Economics (EPA)