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ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION OF

ORITY ON

RI

SW5

M  A R I N E -  R E L AT E D A  C T I V I T I E S

RE

TH

EF

S FOR HEAL

What

What Is It?

BENCHMARK

The Economic contribution marine-related activities

Develop

Develop community-based targets for a

-- is expressed as the percentage of the economically

sustainable number of people employed

active population whose main economic activity is

in different marine-related activities

either fishing or tourism-related activities that directly

(i.e., how many tour guides, hoteliers, or

or indirectly depend on marine resources.

fishers can a local reef sustain?).

Why

Why Do We Measure It?

TA R G E T

This parameter provides a relative indication of how

Meet marine-based employment targets

much of a coastal community's income is derived

(as established in the benchmark)

from marine activities, as well as the community's

that balance economic benefits and

level of dependence on marine ecosystems for

livelihood, by providing information on the number

ecological sustainability.

of individuals whose direct economic activities are

RED FL AG

related to tourism and fishing. However, it is not a

comprehensive indicator of the number of individuals

Employment in marine-related activities

whose livelihoods depend directly or indirectly on

continues to be market-driven with

marine-related activities, due to the fact that it does

no consideration of environmental

not include activities indirectly related to tourism and

fishing nor marine-dependent activities such as ports

sustainability.

sustainability.

and shipping.

group generally includes all individuals engaged in

This indicator measures only the main activity

work for cash or in-kind income during a specific

reported by individuals in population surveys.

reference period (usually one hour in the week prior

However, occupational multiplicity (i.e., an individual

to the census or survey); individuals with a formal

engaging in various different economic activities

attachment to a job (even if they did not work during

to generate income) is a common practice within

the reference period); and individuals without work

coastal communities. In the MAR region, this practice

but who were available for and seeking work during

is evidenced by individuals who engage in fishing,

the reference period.

tourism, agriculture and/or other trades in the same

year, shifting from one to the other on a seasonal,

The labor surveys and household and population

weekly or even daily basis.

censuses request information on the primary income-

earning activity for each household member in the

This indicator therefore provides one measure of the

week before the survey. Survey results are then coded

economic importance of reef resources for coastal

by using standardized employment classifications.

communities in the MAR. The assumption is that the

However, EAP statistics still may not be strictly

degradation of the resources will have a negative

comparable from country to country, due to slight

socioeconomic impact by reducing employment

differences in the ways that individual countries apply

opportunities and economic benefits for local

the classification systems to define labor participation

populations. Considered in combination with SW4

and occupational categories. Furthermore, although

­ Poverty and SW7 ­ Human Development Index, this

in the coastal municipalities some fishing activity may

can be a telling indicator of the long-term sustainability

take place in non-marine areas and some tourism

of marine-resource-based livelihoods.

activities are terrestrial-based (e.g., jungle and

How Do We Measure It?

archeological tours), it can be reasonably assumed

that the vast majority of activities related to the fishing

The indicator is based on the economically active

and tourism economic sectors in nearshore areas are

population (EAP), which includes all persons above

directly or indirectly marine-dependent.

a specified age (based on national standards) who

supply labor for the production of economic goods

Standard sources for EAP and occupation data

and services during a specified time period. This

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