Whale Watching in Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary: A Stated Preference Study of Passengers' Willingness to Pay for Marine Life Improvements

This report presents the methods used to estimate the consumer surplus for natural resource attribute improvements among for-hire whale watching passengers in Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary (CINMS), along with the results of this analysis. Understanding what users are willing to pay for natural resource improvements (such as increases in the number of whales and other marine mammals) helps to inform management and policy decisions. Information on the benefits of improving resource conditions informs cost-benefit analysis of potential policy and management changes. This report is one of two methods papers that document the approach used to collect and analyze the data. Through the development and implementation of a survey and sampling design, original data were collected and then analyzed. Results include the economic contribution (jobs, income, value-added, and output) of whale watchers, the characteristics they find most important and are most satisfied with, the number of whale watching days and trips they make to the region, the types of wildlife viewing animals they most like, and the focus of this report, non-market valuation of resource attribute improvements. The findings of this research will used to support the CINMS management plan review, inform education and outreach efforts related to whales, and provide additional information to for-hire wildlife viewing operations about their passengers and economic contributions to the region.

Key Words

Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, whale watching, consumer surplus, non-market valuation