Solutions for the Short-Term Economic Impacts of Marine Reserves

Well-managed fisheries are critical for supporting healthy ocean ecosystems, coastal livelihoods, and food security for millions of people. Many communities lack the resources to implement effective fisheries management. No-take marine reserves are a relatively simple tool to conserve biodiversity and provide fishery benefits. Although empirical examples of fishery benefits from reserves are becoming more prevalent, the short-term economic impacts of establishing marine reserves are rarely considered.  In this paper we simulate fisheries for six species commonly caught in coastal fisheries in order to demonstrate the time required for a no-take reserve to provide a net improvement in the economic wellbeing of a fishing community. Our results show that while conservation benefits accrue rapidly, more than a decade is often required to provide net fisheries benefits, even under circumstances favorable for reserves. We explore a suite of strategies for mitigating these short-term economic losses, including flexible reserve designs, rights-based management, and loans. Our results indicate that combinations of these strategies can greatly reduce the short-term economic impacts of no-take marine reserves. Our findings provide mechanisms for improving the viability of no-take marine reserves as tools for fisheries management and conservation.