MARINE PROTECTED AREAS - AN ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC TOOL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN COASTAL AREAS.

Coastal regions house a high concentration of often contradictory activities, directly impacting on the quality of their environment and the sustainable development of these areas. The density of these activities in a limited and geographically defined spatial coastal zone, poses significant challenges and pressures on the marine environment, as most of the activities and services are closely interrelated to marine ecosystems. The international community is developing and implementing important measures for the sustainable development of coastal communities, including the creation of marine protected area (MPA) networks. This approach is an ecosystem-based approach targeted at the management of human activities in order to sustain biodiversity and at the same time support viable economic activities essential for the sustainable development of these areas. This paper contributes to the knowledge and best practice examples pertinent to the creation and development of marine protected areas (MPAs) in Europe and the Mediterranean, analyzing ways in which this important and successful tool can be introduced and applied further in the Black Sea. The creation of MPAs is closely associated to studies mainly focusing on scientific observations of the marine environment, participation and direct involvement of stakeholders, as well as evaluating the socioeconomic impacts on coastal communities. Economic benefits of MPAs include job creation in novel areas such as environmental services and products, including non-consumptive activities such as tourism and recreation. The economic value of biological resources is difficult to express in monetary terms, whereas others such as the direct financial benefit to local economies from recreational and other activities centered on MPAs, are easier to calculate. The paper utilizes the basic methods for valuation of environmental goods and services, based on direct costs, capital costs and operating costs, such as labour costs for monitoring and protecting the area. Also indirect costs, mainly through the assessment of potential damages to fishermen who may be harmed by fishing bans, are addressed. The paper finally discusses the interactions between the complex biological, social, economic and institutional factors and proposes a generic model for attaining significant socioeconomic benefits associated with sustainable development of coastal zone areas in the Black Sea [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]