Social and Economic Impacts of the PlanSocial and Economic Impacts of the Plan

Social and Economic Impacts of the Plan

The decline in marine turtles, if not addressed, will result in economic and social costs. For example:

– The loss of turtles reduces the available bush food for some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities creating an economic cost related to the provision of alternative food supplies and the loss of the culture and values associated with turtles;
– The decline of nesting will reduce economic opportunities in the nature-based tourism industry (for example Mon Repos, Queensland);
– The decline of turtles represents a loss to those in the community who believe that biodiversity has an intrinsic value;

One of the purposes of the plan is to avoid or minimise these costs. Implementation of the plan will have the following economic or social costs:

– The use of TEDs imposes a small economic cost on fishers. In many cases TEDs have already been fitted but will be offset by more efficient fishing and the promotion of more sustainable fisheries through habitat protection.
– Protection of habitat means that there are costs incurred for its management. Healthier ecosystems, tourism and more sustainable fisheries offset these costs.