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NOAA Strategy to Enhance Growth of American Blue Economy

Video: NOAA’s contributions to the American blue economy.

In January 2021, NOAA released its Blue Economy Strategic Plan for 2021-2025, laying out a roadmap for new ways to advance America’s Blue Economy and enhance the global ocean economy .

NOAA’s data, tools, and services that support coastal economies and their contribution to the national economy touch all aspects of American life. Approximately 127 million people, or 40% of the U.S. population, live in coastal counties. In 2018, the American blue economy supported 2.3 million jobs, and contributed approximately $373 billion to the nation’s gross domestic product through activities such as tourism and recreation, shipping and transportation, commercial and recreational fishing, power generation, research, and related goods and services.

cover shot of blue economy strategic plan
cover shot of blue economy strategic plan

The Strategic Plan focuses on five sectors that NOAA will advance through agency-wide initiatives: marine transportation, ocean exploration, seafood competitiveness, tourism and recreation, and coastal resilience. NOAA plans to further enhance these sectors by leveraging public-private partnerships, harnessing emerging technologies, and developing innovative STEM education and outreach efforts to train the next generation of Blue Economy leaders.