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Louisiana’s vanishing wetlands

Some things to think about

Louisiana’s coastal parishes are home to over two million people, which is more than 47% of the state’s entire population.

Louisiana’s coastal zone covers approximately 14,913 square miles, of which 6,737 square miles is water and 8,176 square miles land.

Louisiana has lost 1,900 square miles of land since the 1930s.

Louisiana loses the equivalent of a football field sized area of marsh every 38 minutes.

Louisiana lost close to 24 square miles of coastal wetlands between 1990 and 2000.

It is estimated that Louisiana will lose close to 500 square miles of wetlands, with current restoration efforts taken into account, over the next 50 years.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita turned 217 square miles of marsh into open water along the Louisiana coast.

Louisiana’s coastal parishes are home to the oil industry with the wetlands acting as a protective buffer for important infrastructure. Louisiana’s position, among the 50 states, as first in crude oil production and second in natural gas production are put at risk by coastal wetlands loss.   

Louisiana’s coastal wetlands provide storm protection for five of the top 15 ports in the country, carrying 457 million tons and accounting for 18% of all waterborne commerce in the United States.

Louisiana’s coastal wetlands act as the nursery ground for the states commercial fishing industry.  In 2006, Louisiana commercial landings exceeded 844 million pounds with a dockside value of $202 million; accounting for approximately 21% of the total catch by weight in the lower 48 states.

Recreational sport fishing is also a key component of the Louisiana economy fostered by our wetlands. It is estimated that annual expenditures related to non-commercial fishing in Louisiana can amount to between $895 million and $1.2 billion each year.

Louisiana is a sportsman’s paradise and that is especially true in the marshes of coastal Louisiana. Hunting-related expenditures in Louisiana amounted to $599 million in 2003 alone.

The trapping industry based out of the coastal marsh produced 1.17 million in furs in 2005–2006.

The Louisiana alligator harvest in 2003 was valued at approximately $38 million.

Louisiana’s coastal wetlands provide habitat for approximately 1.8 million migratory waterfowl.

Information taken from America’s Wetlands: Campaign to save Coastal Louisiana

http://www.americaswetland.com/