The Socio-Economics of the West, Central and Southern African Coastal Communities

3.3 The Habitat Service Provided by Mangrove and Seagrass Fish Nurseries

nurseries contribute approximately US$ 280.5 million (US$ 425.6/ha) and CCLME seagrass beds and meadows about US$ 42.8 million (US$ 425.6/ha). These figures are based the assumption that fish nursery services account for 10 per cent of the entire MSY DOI of ocean fisheries. 171 This 10 per cent is subtracted from both the GCLME and the CCLME MSY DOI totals in order to avoid double-counting the impact of fish nurseries. 172

Mangroves and seagrass beds and meadows serve as fish nurseries and breeding grounds for surrounding ecosystems and societies, thereby fulfilling an important habitat service (or “supporting service”). 169 For the west and central African region, the economic impact of mangrove and seagrass fish nurseries is estimated at US$ 1.8 billion. The impact from GCLME mangroves comprises approximately US$ 1.5 billion (US$ 828/ha) of the total, 170 CCLME mangrove fish

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