Coral reefs provide a variety of important services and benefits such as
food, coastal protection, recreation opportunities, habitat for a
variety of species, tourism, cultural heritage, and social connectedness
through a sense of place.
However, what are the economic benefits of coral reefs? How much are
coral reefs worth to society? How much do people care about coral
ecosystems? Can we demonstrate the value of these unique ecosystems and
account for what we stand to lose if they are irreparably damaged?
NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program conducts economic valuation
projects to provide updated, defensible monetary values of U.S. coral
reef ecosystem services in Florida, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands,
American Samoa, Guam, Hawai'i, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands, Pacific Remote Island Areas, and Flower Garden Banks National
Marine Sanctuary. Economic impact assessments are also conducted to
quantify the amount of economic activity generated by coral reefs.
