Variables for human activity/economic valuation analysis

(expected) benefit of activity = dependent variable

hours spent at spot or conducting the activity, respectively (recreational activities)

value of landings - cost of effort

“monetary values associated with trip” (recreational activities)

equipment (fixed per hour and trip)

distance dependent travel costs (car)

parking fee

boat-trip costs (boat dives)

charter costs (recreational fishing and diving )

possible ecological explanatory factors

abundance of predatory fish

abundance of non predatory fish

diversity of rockfish

--> persistence of kelp [Author:ia]

presence or abundance of spiny lobster

presence of mammals

presence of giant black sea bass

pretty invertebrates

other possibly explanatory “natural” variables or man made features

visibility

dive difficulty

presence of wrecks

natural rock features (pinnacles, caves, walls)

exposure to waves

surge

walking distance car park/dive site (shore dives)

swimming distance (shore dives)

(if analysis goes beyond Monterey, human population density will be important to include)

--> open question: [Author:ia] time spend on boat for divers = costs or part of the fun?

Additional ecological variables for path analysis

Substrate/Benthic structure

Substrate type

Rugostity?

Nutrients

Phytoplankton

Abundance

Diversity

Chloro a

Zooplankton

abundance

diverisity

Benthic inverts

Abundance

Diversity

Rockfish

Abundance and diversity of:

Species that prey on inverts

Species that prey on fish

Herbivorous species?

Non rockfish

Abundance and diversity of:

Species that prey on inverts

Species that prey on fish

Herbivorous species?

Mammals

Abundance and diversity of:

Species that prey on inverts

Species that prey on fish

Herbivorous species?

Is persistence of kelp is a measurement of abundance over time? So, it seems like this variable would integrate over some period of time how good a dive site may be as opposed to a single time point measure of diversity. Am I thinking about this in the same you are?

Its prob worth doing the analysis both ways. That is , include time on boat as 1) cost and 2) benefit.

Is this a question that could be included in the interviews? May be able to get a better sense of how people view this factor though interview questions.