Stewardship

What’s An Estuary ? Why Are They Important?

Estuaries are coastal bodies of water where the fresh water of the rivers meets with the salt water of the sea. Approximately 206 million people - or 70% of the United States population - visit an estuary every year.

Estuaries:

• Lead the world in life support, critically serving as places to live, eat and reproduce for tens of thousands of birds, fish and mammals.
  
• House unique plant communities that prevent pollution, erosion, floods and stabilize our shoreline.
  
• Create a vast food web for fish, birds and mammals.
  
• Provide habitat for 75% of America’s commercial fish catch and 80-90% of the recreational fish catch.
  
• Improve our quality of life and health, often serving as gathering places for community life, traditions, and celebrations.
  
• Are invaluable laboratories for scientists and students.

From an economic point of view, estuaries generate:

• More than 28 million jobs.
  
• $111 billion annually from the fishing industry.
  
• More than $10 billion in annual sales from recreational boating products and services.
  
• $12 billion annually in coastal recreation and tourism.

We are, unfortunately, loving our estuaries to death. They are being threatened by a wide range of human activities. Half the American population now lives in coastal areas and coastal counties continue to grow at a rate three times faster than inland counties. Thus, the demands imposed on these beautiful natural resources are quickly expanding. Without proper management, we could kill the very goose that lays the golden egg.