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Ecological functions and economic value of the Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) in Los Olivitos Estuary, Venezuela

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2011

KARINE GIL-WEIR ,
ENRIQUE WEIR ,
CLARK L. CASLER  and
SARA ANIYAR
KARINE GIL-WEIR
Affiliation:
Universidad del Zulia, Facultad Experimental de Ciencias, Laboratorio Ecologia y Sistemas, Maracaibo, Venezuela, and Ecosystems Advisors LP, P.O. Box 12015, College Station, TX 77842, USA. Email: kgil@ecosystemsadvisors.com
ENRIQUE WEIR
Affiliation:
Universidad del Zulia, Facultad Experimental de Ciencias, Laboratorio Ecologia y Sistemas, Maracaibo, Venezuela, and Ecosystems Advisors, College Station, TX, USA. Email: henryweir@ecosystemsadvisors.com
CLARK L. CASLER
Affiliation:
Universidad del Zulia, Facultad de Humanidades, Maracaibo, Venezuela. Email: casler600@gmail.com
SARA ANIYAR
Affiliation:
The Beijer Institute, The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden. Email: saraniyar@gmail.com
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Abstract

We present the ecological functions of cormorants and estimate the economic value of these functions to artisanal fishermen, as a valuation exercise for Neotropic Cormorants at Los Olivitos Estuary, Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela. Ecological functions were based on estimating the abundance, distribution and diet of cormorants; economic values were attached to a selection of goods, services and attributes. Based on available information, we selected four ecological–economic functions of cormorants: harvesting for food; contributors to fish diversity; indicators of fish schools; and contributors to fish biomass, due to guano production. Cormorants consumed nine commercial fish species. Mean consumption was 225 g/ind/day. All ecological–economic functions were positive except for the role as contributors to fish biomass. Total value of the cormorant population to fishermen was $5,429,703/year. Unlike many studies, our results show that Neotropic Cormorants have a negligible impact on artisanal fisheries. We emphasize the importance of these results for management policies.

Type
Research Article
Information
Environment and Development Economics , Volume 16 , Issue 5 , October 2011 , pp. 553 - 572
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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