BY THE NUMBERSNOAA “Catches and Releases” 2011 Data on Ocean and Great Lakes EconomyNOAA’s newest output includes a feature on Economics. The National Ocean Watch site features facts, charts, story maps, and videos. It turns out that our maritime economy – commercial, recreational and everything in between – really matters.In 2011, the U.S. Ocean and Great 67,000 jobs—an increase in em- 37 percent to the total gross domes-ployment of 2.4 percent, which was Lakes economy produced $282 bil- tic product (GDP) of the ocean and twice the job-growth rate as in the lion in goods and services and em- Great Lakes economy.U.S. economy as a whole.ployed 2.2 percent of the nation’s From 2010 to 2011, real GDP grew • workers—that’s more than twice the Alabama, Delaware, New by 2.7 percent, faster than the U.S. Hampshire, and Texas experienced percentage of workers in the U.S. economy as a whole (1.6 percent). the highest rates of employment agriculture industry. This fact and Offshore mineral extraction employ-growth. many others are featured in a 2011 ment grew the fastest of all sectors, • The tourism and recreation data summary from Economics: Na- with an increase of 6.2 percent. How-sector accounted for 70 percent of tional Ocean Watch (ENOW), a prod- ever, ship and boat building grew the employees but averaged the lowest uct of the National Oceanic and At- fastest in terms of real GDP, with wages of the six sectors represented. mospheric Administration (NOAA) an increase of 19.7 percent. Indeed, • Self-employed workers held half Coastal Services Center. four of the ocean economy’s six sec-the jobs in the living resources sector. ENOW’s annual time-series data tors paid wages that were higher than highlight six economic sectors and ENOW data and tools have been the national average. The two excep-cover roughly 400 coastal counties, used in many other ways—for in-tions—tourism and recreation and 30 coastal states, eight regions, and stance, to develop baseline economic living resources—are characterized the nation, using data derived from pro