Working waterfront interests in Maine have been very focused on supporting commercial fishing. In 2007, at a national conference focused on working waterfront preservation, there was a realization that working waterfront uses around the country differed drastically. One group, which is not considered commercial here in Maine, is the recreational boating community. We asked Jeff Gabriel of the National Marine Manufacturers Association to provide information and background on the recreational boating community and their interest in working waterfront preservation.
Recreational boating is a uniquely American manufacturing industry with 83 percent of power boats sold in the U.S. manufactured in the U.S. and an important contributor to the U.S. economy with a $72 billion annual economic impact and an estimated 350,000 direct American jobs. Recreational boating is also a net exporter for the U.S.: in 2011 boat exports were up 44 percent above the 16-year average of $1.2 billion. Recently, the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) held events at both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions in order to educate our lawmakers and policy stakeholders about this important contribution to the economic recovery effort.
These numbers are a great start. But in order to keep the momentum, and continue to grow the recreational boating industry, our boaters and anglers must have access to America’s waterways. Water access has always been an imperative issue. In fact, NMMA’s state and federal government relations staff is continually working to ensure that national parks and local waterways remain open, are properly funded and improved upon in order to promote their use. Often, restrictive policy or regulatory measures can make it more difficult for people to spend a day on the water and NMMA works tirelessly to prevent this. In fact, NMMA is currently engaged in a discussion with the National Park Service regarding a potential plan to close 10,000 acres of coastline in Florida’s Biscayne National Park to boating and fishing. This is just one example of the important access issues that the recreational boating industry must remain aware of and work against.
Recreational boating is a fun, family friendly activity. Of the 238 million adults living in the United States in 2011, 34.8 percent, or 83 million people, participated in recreational boating. This is the greatest proportion of participation in recreational boating since 1997 when 35.8 percent of adults went boating. Boating remains a middle-class recreational activity. 77 percent of adults who went boating in 2011 had a household income of less than $100,000; 63 percent had a household income of less than $75,000.
As an industry, we must work together to encourage local and national leaders to examine the importance of water resources projects addressing development of recreational water access infrastructure, performance of navigational waterway dredging and revitalization, and include these vital concerns in any economic stimulus legislation. These projects not only have the capacity to provide swift economic revitalization but also enhanced community development and increased local employment. Water access improvement projects provide the opportunity to quickly stimulate the economy, create jobs and improve the nation’s water-based infrastructure.
Keeping Americans on the water not only promotes the outdoors and our nation’s resources, but continues to further our economic resurgence. Working in tandem, the boating and fishing community can encourage leaders to take in the facts and make important decisions that affect not only our ability to have a great day on the water, but to promote job growth and community capital.
Jeffrey Gabriel is Legislative Council for the National Marine Manufacturers Association