Economic Report Shows Great Lakes Water Grows Economy

The marine economy of the Great Lakes states grew much faster than other sectors of the region’s economy in 2012, according to a NOAA report.

The NOAA Report on the U.S. Ocean and Great Lakes Economy breaks marine industries into marine tourism and recreation, construction, living resources, offshore mineral extraction, ship and boat building, and marine transportation. The study examined the number of employees and the wages and gross domestic product created from each.

Michigan had the highest growth rate in the U.S. for water-dependent employment, growing 8 percent, which is nearly four times the growth rate for the U.S. economy as a whole. Experts say the marine economic growth here was made possible by the resilience of marine sectors and the ecological health of the lakes. (2016)

More information: www.greatlakesecho.org/2015/09/09/great-lakes-water-grows-economy

Partners: NOAA Office for Coastal Management, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Michigan Economic Center