Integrated Coastal Zone Management of Coral Reefs: Decision Support Modeling

'The applied research indicates that, to improve awareness, park education programs should be targeted specifically to the user groups primarily through outreach programs. Further, the Park's management programs should be highlighted, particularly the beneficial, tangible products and services (benefits) the Park provides to each user group... The closer the tie between reef conditions and business earnings, the greater the users' support for reef conservation.'

Coral reefs are sometimes referred to as 'canaries of the sea' because of their early warning ability to show near-shore oceanic stress. Because of their biological diversity, they are also called 'rainforests of the sea'. Coral reefs are vital to the well being of millions of people.

Coral reef managers and government officials trying to save their valuable national resources have turned to research on coral reefs for help. The research presented in this publication merits a great deal of notice because the output is useful for decision support and training tools in integrated coastal zone management (ICZM). The work on cost-effectiveness analysis has developed integrated economic and ecological models, relying extensively on fuzzy logic procedures to model impacts and effects of interventions within the reef environment. By contrast, the marine system valuation work provides economic valuations of coral reefs, demonstrating the use of different modeling methods and treating key policy issues within this context.

This publication will interest coastal zone experts and managers worldwide