Florida International University FIU Digital Commons FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations University Graduate School 6-12-2014 Stakeholder Perceptions and Preferences for Coral Reef Restoration and Sustainable Resource Management James Wilkinson Harper [email protected] DOI: 10.25148/etd.FI14071138 Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd Recommended Citation Harper, James Wilkinson, "Stakeholder Perceptions and Preferences for Coral Reef Restoration and Sustainable Resource Management" (2014). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1486. https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/1486 This work is brought to you for free and open access by the University Graduate School at FIU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of FIU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY Miami, Florida STAKEHOLDER PERCEPTIONS AND PREFERENCES FOR CORAL REEF RESTORATION AND SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE in ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES by James W. Harper 2014 To: Interim Dean Michael R. Heithaus College of Arts and Sciences This thesis, written by James W. Harper, and entitled Stakeholder Perceptions and Preferences for Coral Reef Restoration and Sustainable Resource Management, having been approved in respect to style and intellectual content, is referred to you for judgment. We have read this thesis and recommend that it be approved. _______________________________________ Ligia Collado-Vides _______________________________________ Mahadev Bhat _______________________________________ Pallab Mozumder, Major Professor Date of Defense: June 12, 2014 The thesis of James W. Harper is approved. _______________________________________ Interim Dean Michael R. Heithaus College of Arts and Sciences _______________________________________ Dean Lakshmi N. Reddi University Graduate School Florida International University, 2014 ii ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS STAKEHOLDER PERCEPTIONS AND PREFERENCES FOR CORAL REEF RESTORATION AND SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT by James W. Harper Florida International University, 2014 Miami, Florida Professor Pallab Mozumder, Major Professor The Florida Reef and associated human community form a unique socio- ecological system. While this system represents great value to society, it is exposed to high levels of vulnerability. Despite intense study of its elements, the system lacks conceptual integrity, its management is fragmented, and user valuation remains unclear. A survey using contingent valuation methods investigated stakeholders' attitudes and how much they are willing to pay for sustainable seafood, coral reef restoration, and research funding for coral reefs in southeastern Florida. Respondents expressed angst about climate change and reef conditions, and they connected reef degradation to land-based pollution and water quality. Regression analysis revealed status (income, education) as weak, indirect predictors of behavior, age as a moderating influence, and environmental and emotive factors as strong, direct predictors. One's relative attachment to ecosystems, such as coral reefs, is theorized as a motivation that displaces the expectations of traditional economic theory. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................1 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................6 2.1 Exigency of Coral Reef Issues ...................................................................................6 2.1.1 Background about Coral Reefs .............................................................................. 8 2.1.2 Endangered Corals ............................................................................................... 10 2.2 U.S. Attitudes about Climate Change and Coral Reefs .............................................. 16 2.3 Public Attitudes and Willingness To Pay for Coral Reefs in Florida ......................... 21 2.4 The Florida Reef Context ............................................................................................ 24 2.5 Threats to Coral Reefs ................................................................................................ 27 2.6 Economic Value and Theory ...................................................................................... 29 2.7 Fishing, Fisheries, and Seafood .................................................................................. 33 2.7.1 Global Fishery Management ................................................................................ 33 2.7.2 Seafood Industry .................................................................................................. 36 2.8 Collective Action Theory and Fishing ........................................................................ 39 2.8.1 Florida Fishing and Regulation ............................................................................ 42 2.8.2 Economic Impact of Fishing ................................................................................ 45 2.8.3 Florida’s Commercial Fishing Industry ............................................................... 48 2.8.4 Florida Recreational Fishing Industry ................................................................. 49 2.8.5 Licenses and Fees ................................................................................................ 50 2.9 Choice Modeling Literature ........................................................................................ 52 2.10 Environmental Psychology ....................................................................................... 54 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODS ..........................................................................56 3.1 Research Objectives .................................................................................................... 56 3.2 Hypotheses .................................................................................................................. 57 3.3 Sample Development .................................................................................................. 58 3.3.1 Categorization of Stakeholders ............................................................................ 61 3.4 Survey Instrument ....................................................................................................... 64 3.4.1 Section I: Recreation and Ocean Resources ........................................................ 65 3.4.2 Section II: Coral Reefs in Florida ........................................................................ 66 3.4.3 Section III: Coastal Management Choices ........................................................... 67 3.4.4 Section IV: Climate Change and Reef Values ..................................................... 73 3.5 Analysis Techniques ................................................................................................... 74 CHAPTER 4: RESULTS ..................................................................................................77 4.1 Description of Sample Respondents ........................................................................... 77 4.2 Ocean Interaction ........................................................................................................ 85 4.3 Environmental Orientation .......................................................................................... 87 4.4 Scales for Climate Concern and Coral Concern ......................................................... 88 4.5 Coral Reef Ratings and Threats .................................................................................. 94 4.6 Willingness To Pay ..................................................................................................... 96 iv 4.7 Seafood Preferences .................................................................................................... 98 4.8 Regression Analysis for Seafood .............................................................................. 102 4.8.1 Diagnostics for Seafood Regressions................................................................. 102 4.9 Management Choice Preferences .............................................................................. 106 4.10 Research Funding Preferences ................................................................................ 110 4.10.1 Regression Analysis for Research Funding ..................................................... 110 4.10.2 Diagnostics for Research Funding Regressions ............................................... 115 4.11 Summary of Extended Regression Models ............................................................. 115 CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION ..........................................................................................118 5.1 Analysis of Results ................................................................................................... 119 5.1.1 Comparison to Previous WTP Studies ............................................................... 124 5.1.2 Climate Change and Other Perceptions ............................................................. 128 5.1.3 Economic Surprises ........................................................................................... 131 5.1.4 Trust in Seafood ................................................................................................