MEDIA RELEASE

The U.S. Senate has unanimously approved a resolution declaring Saturday, Sept. 24, to be National Estuaries Day.

The resolution was sponsored by U.S. Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Scott Brown (R-MA) and cosponsored by Senators Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), , Ben Cardin (D-DE), Susan Collins (R-ME), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), John Kerry (D-MA), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Mark Warner (D-VA), Jim Webb (D-VA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

“Our estuaries and coastal areas provide critical habitat along with recreation, tourism, and business opportunities,” Akaka said. “In Hawaii, we believe strongly in malama ‘āina and malama kai – caring for the land and caring for the ocean – and healthy estuaries are key to both. On this National Estuaries Day, we are reminded to redouble our efforts to protect these valuable natural resources.”

The resolution recognizes the importance of coastal and estuarine regions to our national economy and reaffirms the Senate’s support for protecting and restoring these vital resources.

Coasts and estuaries contribute more than $800 billion in trade and commerce to the U.S. economy each year and support more than 28 million jobs in commercial and recreational fishing, boating, tourism, and other industries.