Marine Natural Capital

Natural capital is the world’s stock of natural resources, which includes geology, soils, air, water and all living organisms.

Natural Capital Assets provide humans with the ecosystems services these habitats provide. Healthy and functioning natural capital assets provide ecosystem services, these are the valuable good and services that we take advantage of. We know that natural capital assets are worth literally billions.

Ecosystem services are generally classed as;

Regulating
– services provided by nature that regulate our environment
– – climate regulation, flood regulation, water purification

Cultural
– intangible benefits
– – spiritual, inspiration, mental health benefits

Provisioning
– extractable benefit
– – water, food, raw materials

Supporting
– the underlying natural processes which maintain ecosystems and are necessary for the production of all other ecosystem services
– – nutrient cycling, primary productivity

The services provided though natural capital asset enrich our local economies and communities with sectors such as fisheries, recreational fisheries, local communities, nature lovers, and visitors benefitting from a healthy and functioning ecosystem.