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SATURDAY, SEPT. 30, IS NATIONAL ESTUARIES DAY
Release Date: 09/21/2000
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FOR RELEASE: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2000
SATURDAY, SEPT. 30, IS NATIONAL ESTUARIES DAY
EPA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will together celebrate National Estuaries Day on Saturday, Sept. 30. The theme of this celebration is “Estuaries—Cradles of the Ocean.” EPA’s National Estuary Program and NOAA’s National Estuaries Research Reserve System will join with local communities to observe the day with educational activities, exhibits, and festivals to highlight the importance of
our nation’s bays and coastal waterways. Estuaries are transitional coastal areas where freshwater from inland streams and rivers mixes with the seawater from the ocean. They are among the most productive ecosystems in the world: estuaries are more productive per acre than the richest Midwestern farmland. Nearly fifty percent ofAmericans, 110 million people, already live in coastal areas; by the year 2010, the U.S. coastal population is projected to rise to 127 million. Americans spend about $75 billion on coastal recreational activities each year. Coastal waters provide approximately 28.3 million jobs and annually generate $54 billion in goods and services. These environmentally critical areas serve as nursery grounds for two-thirds of the nation’s fish and shellfish, provide habitat, resting and feeding sites for thousands of birds and other wildlife, serve as buffers against storms, and filter pollutants. Coastal ecosystems are increasingly threatened by growth and development and associated impacts such as nutrient over-enrichment, causing adverse fish and wildlife impacts as well as subsequent recreational and economic impacts. The National Estuary Program is working with state and local governments, environmental and business groups, and citizens to protect and restore the living resources and improve water quality of 28 nationally significant estuaries around the country. The general public can find more information about National Estuaries Day, the National Estuaries Program, and about estuaries on the Internet: https://www.epa.gov/owow/estuaries/neday/index.html, or by calling EPA’s Coastal Management Branch at
202-260-6502.
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