Habitat Restoration: An Economic Engine

NOAA is proud to celebrate all of the workers who create a healthier environment, restore our fisheries, and strengthen our coastal economies. For these workers, habitat restoration isn't just a job, it's a livelihood. Habitat restoration creates jobs, whether it's dismantling obsolete dams, or restoring rivers, wetlands, oyster reefs, and other habitat. These projects also generate long-term economic activity as restored habitat leads to healthier fish populations, improved commercial and recreational fisheries, and greater recreational opportunities. You can absolutely see the correlation between healthy runs of fish and healthy business, especially our business, which is based solely on recreation on the river. Because of the improvements on the habitat, we're having a larger return of the fish, and fishing in this area is absolutely astronomical. Habitat restoration projects employ engineers and construction workers, hydrologists and biologists, surveyors, and other skilled labor. According to a recent study, a $1 million investment creates five oil and natural gas jobs, seven coal jobs. The same investment creates 17 habitat restoration jobs. In Maine, NOAA contributed nearly $21 million to restore habitat along the Penobscot River. By removing the dams and opening up the river to fish passage, we expect to see a boost in fish populations such as endangered Atlantic salmon, and also river herring, which are food for cod and other valuable commercial species. When that happens, we also expect a boost in long-term economic activities. So we think that as the river health rebounds, we are going to see changes in the marine environment that could actually restore the diversity to our marine ecosystem, and that has profound economic implications. Oh yeah, more fish in the river, more fish in the bay for that matter, means more clients in my boat, more money for businesses, people pay for lodging, they pay for restaurants, they pay for tackle, they pay for going out for dinner, everything. It's just, it's a win-win situation. I've been quoted saying this numerous times. That's what it is. There's nobody losing you. Restoration is working. To find out about NOAA restoration projects in your community, visit our restoration atlas at restoration.noaa.gov.