Protecting an Endangered Species While Harvesting Its Prey in a General Equilibrium Ecosystem Model

Abstract

Because endangered species are in predator/prey, competitive, and other relationships with many species who share their habitat, efficient conservation requires simultaneously considering the needs of many species. Understanding ecological relationships and understanding how human activity affects these other species and indirectly affects endangered species are important to know when forming endangered species policies. We offer an integrated ecological/economic model that tracks both ecological relationships and human activities. The model is applied to an Alaskan marine ecosystem in which fish are harvested and Steller sea lions are endangered. Results illustrate the tradeoff between harvested fish and endangered sea lions. (JEL Q22)