Individuals have been drawn to the coastline for centuries, evident by the number of thriving metropolitan cities located adjacent to waterfronts all over the world. In the United States, 40% of the population resides near the water. Not to mention, the blue economy has grown at a rate that is faster than the overall GDP for the country, as it has proven to be a primary driver of jobs, innovation and economic growth. Our strong desire to be near the water might be simple to see, but quantifying this importance is no easy task. The Blue economy is a vast network with land, people, places, real estate, tourism, ports, fishing, shipping, maintenance, military- all dependent on this vital resource and interconnected. On this show, we are going to explore the Blue Economies of two Atlantic coastal states -- Rhode Island and South Carolina. Our guests are going to guide us through the process their coastal states have undertaken to access valuable information and not only assess the current activities on their coastline, but also plan for the future of the working waterfront. An economist will also introduce us to a new and innovative strategy aimed at valuing non-market features on the waterfront such as wetlands, sand dunes, open space, oyster reefs and other types of mariculture.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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