Socio-economic benefits of Large Marine Ecosystem valuation: The case of the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem

• About 966,000 tonnes of fish a year were landed from the BCLME in the mid-2000s.
• Economic impact of fisheries, mariculture and recreation is almost US$2.2 billion pa
• Namibia derives the most capture fisheries benefits from the BCLME.
• South Africa derives the most recreational and mariculture benefits from the BCLME.
• Angola is home to the largest subsistence fisheries in the BCLME.

The Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME) is one of the 66 identified Large Marine Ecosystems of the world. The countries of the BCLME region, i.e., Angola, Namibia and South Africa, benefit from many goods and services derived from the BCLME. Coastal and marine ecosystem goods and services play a crucial role in supporting the livelihoods of the people and national economies that use this ecosystem. I compiled and analyzed data on fisheries benefits, economic gains from marine recreational activities and benefits from mariculture taking place in the BCLME. Results indicate that a total of approximately 966,000 t of fish were landed from the BCLME in 2006, contributing over half a billion US dollars of direct economic impact and almost US$2.2 billion in total economic impact. These three marine ecosystem services support about 75,000 jobs.