Economic valuation of downstream of the hydroelectric power plant of Tucuruí, state of Pará

Abstract

The construction of the dam of Tucuruí hydroelectric power plant, in Brazil, contribute to deterioration of local ecosystems and, consequently, to the reduction in aquatic fauna. Thus, the objective of this paper was to estimate the economic value of the Tocantins River, in the downstream of the hydroelectric power plant (HPP) of Tucuruí, in the context of artisanal fisheries. Questionnaires were applied to a random sample of 386 artisanal fishermen from the municipalities of Baião, Cametá and Mocajuba. The Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) method and the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) were used to estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) of the artisanal fishermen of the study area for the restoration of the river. The results were: a WTP monthly average of R$ 40.61 (40.61 Reals), obtained by the OLS method, R$ 31.58, by the CVM method, and total annual economic values of R$ 82,644,073.70 and R$ 55,440,940.85, respectively. The socio-economic and environmental variables used, which were statistically significant, had a positive influence on the value of the WTP. Considering the estimated values, it was concluded that they can work as a benchmark for the implementation of public policies for this study area.