Consumer Preferences for the Provision of Water Quality Services by Oysters

Date
2017-06
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Department of Applied Economics and Statistics, University of Delaware, Newark, DE.
Abstract
In the United States and many other countries around the world, estuary eutrophication is a major environmental problem than can results in harmful algal blooms with detrimental impacts on eco-systems and humans, while imposing substantial costs. Oysters are suspension feeders, filtering phytoplankton from water and thereby reducing organic matter, the primary driver of eutrophication. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) supports using shellfish aquaculture as a nutrient management practice. Our revealed preference dichotomous choice experiments test if participants are willing to price premiums for oysters that provide eco-system services. Results suggest that if oysters are from waters containing an unknown amount of nutrient, providing participants with information does not have an effect. However, providing participants with information about eutrophication and oysters ability to filter nutrients from water makes them more likely to choose oysters from low nutrient waters. Oysters from moderate and high nutrient waters, which provide larger eco-system services, are significantly more likely to be selected if participants receive no information.
Description
Keywords
Experimental economics, Revealed preferences, Dichotomous choice, Ecosystem services, Oysters, Willingness to pay
Citation