5.4.5.3 Golfe Normand-Breton: Ecosystem accounting

In the VALMER project, a satellite ecosystem account was developed which encompasses the activities using or maintaining the ecosystem services. This is a functional account which estimates the resources and expenditures of these activities.

An important issue for the integration of ecosystems in the “System of environmental-economic accounting” [SEEA, 2012] is the assessment of ecosystem cultural services. Most of those services are obtained through a process of “production for own use” by the households. It is thus necessary to extend the production boundary of the System of National Account in order to integrate those activities.

In the Golfe Normand-Breton study site, a survey was carried out to estimates the means that households dedicate to the production of the recreational ecosystem services they consume: it necessitates preparation time, travel, materials, etc.

The valuation of this production means (including time) served as the basis for estimating the production value of the ecosystem services. The consumption time was divided into different types of ecosystem services consumption (recreational fishing, seascape) and other recreational activities (sport).

The value of the cultural ecosystem services production was finally estimated as a proportional share of the real consumption time.

Finally, this contributed to a comprehensive picture of the ecosystem services targeted, for production or consumption, by human activities in the Normand-Breton Gulf for the year 2013.

In a first implementation stage, this ecosystem accounting approach necessitates methodological developments, which may be time consuming, however the approach can be easily repeated over time thereafter and can support marine management policies which build on the Ecosystem Services Approach for balancing uses and conservation.

Figure: Production value of the activities producing and/or consuming ecosystem services in the Normand -Breton Gulf (2013).