U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service creates local jobs and dollars

COASTAL RESTORATION RETURNS

Our U.S. coastal regions are economic enginesIn 2010, 39 percent of Americans lived in coastal shoreline counties.1 Coastal regions:

51SUPPORT

MILLION JOBS 2

45%OF THE NATION’SGROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT (GDP) 3

$70B I LL I O N IN INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES TRADE 4

B I L L I O N IN SALTWATER REC FISHING 5

$19.5GENERATE SUPPORT SUPPORT

U.S. coastal counties combined would rank #3 for Global GDP behind U.S. and China if seen as an individual country.7

B I LL I O N

IN LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY WAGES 6

$291PROVIDE

Healthy natural areas along our coastlines provide many benefits to local communities. They:

• Securefoodresourcesby conserving soil, controlling pestsandbenefitingpollinators.

• Providefortourismand recreationsuchasfishing, boating,huntingandbirding.

• Providecleanairandwater byfilteringpollutants.

• Protectcommunitiesfromflood damageandextremeweather.

• Supportandimprove commercial and recreationalfisheries.

Economists estimate the value of these benefits to local communities and the public to be over $100 billion a year.8

Cleanairandwater

Protectcommunities

Recreation

Support and improvefisheries

Secure food resources

Tourism

BENEFITS OF HEALTHY COASTLINES

1

Every$1theCoastalPrograminvestedinaproject leveraged $6.86intotalprojectfunding,which created $12.78 in economic returns.

Nursery $$ OUTFLOWS

Money Paid to Nursery for Trees

Nursery Employee $$ OUTFLOWS

BILLS SHOPPING TAXES

Grocery Store $$ OUTFLOWS

EXPENSES WAGES TAXES

EXPENSES WAGES TAXES

Grocery Employee $$ OUTFLOWS

BILLS SHOPPING TAXES

$$

Continuous Cycle

The Local Multiplier Effect of TREE PLANTING

331jobscreatedin4statesalone.

$12.78$6.86$1

JOBS FROM SELECTED COASTAL PROGRAM PROJECTS

147 56 73 55

ALASKA CALIFORNIA FLORIDARHODE ISLAND

ECONOMIC RETURNS

Numbers at a glance FY 2011

473 JOBS CREATED

This reflects spending for on-the-ground restoration projects completed in FY 2011. Program spending for protection activities and staff time to support technical assistance is not included.

$10M $20M $30M$0

Spendingleveragedfromprojectpartners $16.4 million

Combinedtotalprojectspending $19.2 million

Total economic stimulus $35.6 million

CoastalProgramspending $2.8 million nationally

$40M

Coastal Program: Partners for voluntary restorationTheCoastalProgramworkswithcommunitiesandpartnerstodoon-the-groundprojectsthatprotectandrestorevitalwildlifehabitat.ItisoneoftheU.S.FishandWildlifeService’smosteffectiverecoveryprograms,dueinlargeparttotheprojectdesignandtechnicalassistancethatpartnersreceiveinadditiontoprojectfunds.Projectsincluderemovinginvasivespecies,replantingsalt marsh and seagrasses, and installing living shorelines to prevent erosion.

Since its beginning, the Coastal Program has:

• Partneredwithmorethan5,000federal,tribal,stateandlocalagencies, non-governmentalorganizations,corporationsandprivatelandowners.

• Restored300,616acresofwetland,135,033acresofuplandand2,160 milesofstreamhabitat.

• Protectedmorethantwomillionacresofcoastalhabitat.

• Provided technical assistance to a diverse range of conservation partners.

Restoration: healthy coasts, healthy economies

Coastal Program projects create jobs and provide income in coastal communities. Here’s how it works:

1. Projectfundsleveragenon-federalfundsfromotherpartners.

2.Projectspendingsupportslocalbusinesses.

3.Businesseshireandpayemployees.

4.Workersandbusinessesspendmoneyinthelocaleconomy.

5. Spending produces local tax revenues.

2

Development has dramatically altered the shoreline of San Diego Bay over the past 150 years. Dredging and filling has led to the loss of:

• 70%ofthebay’ssaltmarshes

• 84%oftheintertidalmudflats

• 42%oftheshallowsubtidalhabitat

• Mostofthewetlandsanduplandhabitats

ThegoaloftheSouthSanDiegoBayprojectwastoreversethistrend.Theprojectrestoredandenhancedatotalof300acresofestuarinehabitatsatthreedifferentsitesinSouthSanDiegoBay.

ThelargestprojectwasattheWesternSaltPonds, where223acreswererestored.Thisareaispartofthe SanDiegoBayNationalWildlifeRefuge.Stepsincluded:

• Takingpondsoutofsaltproduction

• Dredgingtocreatearangeofhabitats

• Breachingtoallowtidestobringinwater

• Plantingwithnativeplants

SouthSanDiegoBayisvitalhabitatforbirds.TheAmericanBirdConservancydeclareditaGloballyImportantBirdArea.Morethan90speciesofmigratoryandresidentbirdsarebenefitingfromtheproject.

Justdaysaftertheprojectwasfinished,tensofthousandsofshorebirdsstartedusingthenewintertidalhabitat.Avocets,stilts, plovers, pelicans, heron and more gathered to roost andtoeatfish.The Active TimesrankedSanDiego’sBayshoreBikewayasthebestbikepathinthenation.

TheprojectwasrecognizedbytheAdministrationwiththe prestigiousCoastalAmericaPartnershipAward.Projectpartners included 11 different federal, state and local agencies, alongwithnonprofitorganizations.TheCoastalProgramworkedwithpartnersongrantwriting,environmentalassessment,funding,projectdesignandimplementation.

South San Diego Bay project creates critical bird habitat and adds 130 jobs and $13.4million to local economy

S A N D I E G O B AY, C A L I F O R N I A

“

“

“More than 1/3 of wildlife

refuges are in coastal

areas and are local

economic engines. The

Coastal Program is vital

in forwarding the mission

of the refuge system and

makes very good economic

and environmental sense.”

DAVIDHOUGHTON,PRESIDENT, NATIONALWILDLIFEREFUGEASSOCIATION

Agriculture ServiceConstructionTradeOther

130 JOBS

61.4

32.9 24.1

8.7

3.1

South San Diego Bay project JOBS ADDED

“

“

3

Nutria are invasive South American rodents. They are wreaking havoc in wetlands across the United States.

These large rodents eat plant roots in marshlands. Without root mats to anchor wetland grasses, open water takes the place of marshes. This destroys habitat for striped bass, blue crabs and other commercial species.

NutriawereimportedintoDorchesterCounty,Maryland, in1943fortheirfur.Theyhavenonaturalpredators.

ThenutriapopulationinMarylandhasexploded.In1968therewerelessthan150animalson10,000acresoftheBlackwaterNationalWildlifeRefuge.In1998therewereasmanyas50,000nutria.Thedamageissevere:Blackwaterhaslosthalfofitswetlandssincenutriaarrived.

TheMarylandNutriaProjectaimstoeradicatenutriaandrestore the state’s coastal marshes. It is a partnership betweentheU.S.FishandWildlifeServiceand27federal,stateandprivatepartners.TheServicehasworkedwithpartnersonresearch,planning,coordinationandprojectmanagement. The Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2003authorizedfunding.

Maryland project removes invasive nutria and adds 55 jobs and $2.5million to local economy

Since2000,nutriahavebeenremovedfromover150,000acresofpublicandprivatelandinDorchesterCounty,Maryland.Strategiesincludetrapping,trackingandsearchestofindelusiveanimals.

Trapping and other methods used to manage nutria are verylaborintensive,leadingtomanyjobs.Workersandtheirfamiliesspendmoreoftheirmoneyonservicesandretailgoodsthanbusinessesdo.Thishasalargeimpactonthelocaleconomy.

TheMarylandNutriaProjecthasresultedin$2,560,000inlocalspendingand55muchneededjobs.

“

“

“Tudor Farms is over 6,500

acres, of which 2,000 acres

are marshland. Without the

removal of the nutria on our

property, our marshes would

be gone forever! We are a

great supporter of this project

financially and by serving

on the management advisory

board for the past 12 years.”

KEVINCOMPTON,OWNEROFTUDORFARMS

“

“

$1.4M $2.5M55 JOBS

Program Input

LocalSpending

C H E S A P E A K E B AY, MA R Y L A N D

4

The waters of Puget Sound and the Northwest Straits contain hundreds of tons of derelict fishing gear. This includes nets, lines, crab and shrimp traps and other equipment that has been abandoned or lost from fishing vessels. Modern nets and fishing line are made of plastic materials that may take decades, even centuries, to decompose in water.

Derelictfishinggearposesmanyproblemsforpeople,fishandmarineanimals:

• Abandonednetscontinuetocatchfish,marine mammalsandbirds,woundingorkillingthem.

• Divershavebecomeentangledanddrowned.

• Boatpropellersandrudderscanbesnagged and damaged.

Since2002theNorthwestStraitsFoundationhasbeenremovingderelictfishinggearfromPugetSoundandotherWashingtonstatewaters.AmajorfocusistheSanJuanIslands,anareaoffastcurrents,rocksandreefsthatsnag large amounts of gear.

Dungenesscrabistheprimaryspeciestrappedandkilledinabandonedcrabpots.TherearetensofthousandsofabandonedcrabpotsinPugetSound.ThetotalannuallossofDungenesscrabfromthederelictpotsisestimatedat372,000crab,withavalueatthedockof

$1.2million.Thislossisabout30to40percentoftheaverageannualcommercialcatchofDungenesscrabinPugetSound.9

Salmon,rockfishandlingcodhavebeenfoundinderelictfishingnets.Allareimportantcommercialandrecreationalfish.Eachderelictnetmaykillfishandshellfishworth$1,760 overits10-yearlifespan.Asof2007,thederelictnetsremovedtodatehadkilledfishandshellfishworthmorethan$1milliondollars.Otherbenefitstoremovingderelictfishinggearincludereducedthreatstohumansafetyandboating.10

A$20,000investmentbytheU.S.FishandWildlifeServicewasmatchedbytheNationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministration.Theinitialinvestmentledto$51,000ineconomicoutputinPugetSound.

Puget Sound project removes lost or abandoned fishing gear, returning value to fishing industry

“

“

“The Coastal Program

partners with state agencies

to support implementation

of the National Fish Habitat

Partnership and State

Wildlife Action Plans

to conserve sport- and

at-risk fish species.”

RONREGAN,EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR,ASSOCIATIONOFFISH&WILDLIFEAGENCIES

“

“

P U G E T S O U N D, WA S H I N G TO N

1 LOST NET

4.4K CRAB

TRAPPED/KILLED

$20K VALUE LOST

FISH

ING

NETS

CRAB

POT

S

12K POTS LOST PER YEAR

179K CRAB

TRAPPED/KILLED

$600K VALUE LOST

LOST VALUE TO CRAB FISHERY 11, 12

5

AGRICULTURERemoving invasive species

$111,200

CONSTRUCTIONImproving island’s erosion protection

$165,200

MININGMoving sand and soil for wave break structure

$39,000

Bird Island is a prime water bird rookery. It is home to hundreds of birds, including herons, egrets, ibis and pelicans.In2012onehundredpairsofwoodstorks,a federally listed endangered species, nested on the island. The Indian River National Estuary Program calls it “one of the most important bird nesting colonies in South Florida.”

Theisland’seasternshorelineisconstantlywashingaway.BoatscruisebyintheIntracoastalWaterway,only500feetaway,leavingwakesthaterodetheshoreline.

Tomakemattersworse,hurricanesin2004and2005uprootedmanyofthematuremangroves.Morethan halfoftheisland’scanopycoverhasbeenlost.

Thisprojectbuiltonpriorattemptstostabilizetheshoreline.Amongtheproject’sfeatures:

• Restorednativemangrovevegetationin1-1/2acres ofthetwo-acreisland.

• Builtapermanentwavebreakstructuretostabilize about800feetofshoreline.

• Addedinterpretivesignagetoeducateboatersand protect the island.

Goodnews:roseatespoonbillsandgreatwhiteheronssuccessfullynestedonBirdIslandin2012.Thisisthefirst

Bird Island project protects water birds and adds $742,000 to Florida economy

recordednestingofeitherspeciesinMartinCounty,Florida.

Theprojectinvolvedworkersfromseveraldifferentindustries,adding$742,000tothelocaleconomy.Overtime,restorationofBirdIslandislikelytoattractbirdwatchers,increasingtourismdollars.TheCoastalProgram’sinvestmentof$76,000leveraged$414,000infundingfromotherprojectpartners.

“

“

“

“

“Our lands are so vulnerable.

We [land trusts] work to

protect habitat and the Coastal

Program is phenomenal at

assisting us with restoring

the property when the time

comes.”

SCOTTFISHER,PRESIDENT, HAWAIIAN ISLANDS LAND TRUST

SERVICEProject planning

$328,300

$100,000 $200,000 $300,000$0

MANUFACTURINGInterpretive signs, no trespassing signs

$33,900

INDUSTRIES DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN BIRD ISLAND PROJECT

Other economic impacts: Transportation – $29,000; Trade – $33,200; Government – $2,600

B I R D I S L A N D, F LO R I DA

6

“

ENDNOTES1 http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/population.html2 http://stateofthecoast.noaa.gov/coastal_economy/welcome.html3 http://stateofthecoast.noaa.gov/coastal_economy/welcome.html4 http://stateofthecoast.noaa.gov/com_fishing/welcome.html5 http://stateofthecoast.noaa.gov/rec_fishing/welcome.html6 http://www.oceaneconomics.org/Market/coastal/coastalEcon.asp7 http://stateofthecoast.noaa.gov/coastal_economy/welcome.html8 http://stateofthecoast.noaa.gov/coastal_economy/nonmarket.html9 http://www.nwstraits.org/uploads/pdf/Derelict%20Gear%20Cost Benefit%20Analysis%202007.pdf10 http://www.nwstraits.org/uploads/pdf/Derelict%20Gear%20Cost Benefit%20Analysis%202007.pdf11 http://www.derelictgear.org/Impact.aspx12 http://www.derelictgear.org/Research.aspx

Unlessreferencedseparately,alldatainthisreportarefrom“RestorationReturns:TheContributionofPartnersforFishandWildlifeProgramand CoastalProgramRestorationProjectstoLocalU.S.Economies,”byDrewLaughland,LinhPhuandJoeMilmoe,U.S.FishandWildlifeService,2014.

PHOTOCREDITSCover:Largephoto–JoeMilmoe|Pg5:Fisherman–N.Rahaim Pg4:Nutriaphoto–AloisStaudacher

Restore America’s Estuaries 2300 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 603 | Arlington, VA 22201 703.524.0248 | www.estuaries.org

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“CoastalProgramstaffarecriticalpartnersforlocalrestorationeffortsduringeveryproject phase,fromhelpingwithdesigntoleveragingadditionalpartners.USFWSinvolvement resultsinhealthiercoastalhabitatandmajoreconomicbenefitstolocalcommunities.” – Jeff Benoit, President and CEO, Restore America’s Estuaries