Medidas de Gestao das Pescarias Marinhas e Aquicultura 2019 The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2018 | Page 182

PART 4
OUTLOOK AND
EMERGING ISSUES
BLUE GROWTH
IN ACTION
ser vices provide direct inputs into a blue
economy (e.g. fish, water, plants), reg ulating and
supporting ser vices are just as crucial, as they
provide for healthy aquatic ecosystems that
support the economic activities associated with
provisioning ser vices (Lillebø et al., 2017).
Equally important to blue growth are the cultural
ser vices that aquatic ecosystems provide,
including tourism and educational opportunities
as well as the cultural significance of the
ecosystems for many coastal communities
(Rodrig ues and Kruse, 2017). Therefore, in the
context of blue growth, aquatic resource
management needs to consider and balance the
importance and use of ecosystem ser vices across
all four categories. Achieving this balance is
especially vital as the global communit y strives
to achieve the SDG goals and targets – especially
SDG 14 on oceans – and to ensure the long-term
sustainabilit y of aquatic ecosystem use.
“Blue growth” is an innovative, integrated and
multisectoral approach to the management of
aquatic resources aimed at maximizing the
ecosystem goods and services obtained from the
use of oceans, inland waters and wetlands, while
also providing social and economic benefits. Its
objective is coordinated management resulting in
inclusive growth that contributes to the three
pillars of sustainable development (social, economic
and environmental) and the alleviation of poverty,
hunger and malnutrition (Burgess et al., 2018).
Blue growth is anchored in the principle that
ecosystem ser vices provided by aquatic
ecosystems are fundamental to human well-
being – to the air we breathe, the food we
consume, and the water we drink and use to grow
food. Marine ecosystem ser vices in particular
provide more than 60 percent of the economic
value of the global biosphere (Martinez et al.,
2007). Recognizing this value, the global
communit y has been focusing more and more
effort on the development of economic capacit y to
exploit aquatic ecosystems, and the ser vices they
provide, in a sustainable manner.
An example of this balance is provided by Bann
and Başak (2011), who estimated the economic
value of Gökova Turkey Special Environmental
Protection Area in Turkey at around USD 31.2
million per year. This value incorporates
provisioning services (fish and salt marsh
succulents for food), regulating services (carbon
sequestration, erosion protection and waste
treatment) and cultural services (tourism and
recreation). The most economically significant of
these services in the area is tourism and recreation,
which accounts for approximately 55 percent of the
total economic value, highlighting the need to
manage the tourism industry sustainably.
The use of an ecosystem for economic returns
and social benefits must, however, take place in a
way that minimizes environmental degradation.
If an ecosystem and its ser vices are not
maintained, or in some cases restored, the
natural capital is eroded and the system will not
succeed; it will thus not contribute to improved
food securit y and livelihoods or to achieving
many SDG goals and targets.
Restoring habitat and preser ving biodiversit y can
help to improve aquatic ecosystem ser vices and
provide numerous benefits in terms of food,
revenue and jobs. For example, in Viet Nam,
mangrove replanting by volunteers at the cost of
USD 1.1 million saved USD 7.3 million annual
Ecosystem ser vices are generally divided into
four categories (Box 25). While provisioning
| 166 |