The Marine Initiative of the Natural Capital Project: Putting marine ecosystem services on the map

Background/Question/Methods   Marine ecosystems produce a wide range of ecosystem services, including the provision of seafood from natural populations, beautiful places for tourism and recreation, shoreline protection, climate regulation, and cultural benefits. Basic research on how services vary across a region, how they might be affected by alternative management schemes, and potential trade-offs among services is an essential component of ecosystem-based management.

Results/Conclusions   We will introduce Marine InVEST, a new ecosystem services scenario assessment tool that is designed to be used in temperate regions around the globe to inform decision-making in marine and coastal systems. With a focus on food from fisheries and aquaculture, coastal protection, wave energy generation, and recreation, Marine InVEST models the ways in which alternative management scenarios are likely to affect the flows of ecosystem services. We will present results from our first demonstration site, the west coast of Vancouver Island, where our collaboration with local stakeholders and decision-makers is informing real decisions facing marine spatial planners.