A Sea Grant study at the Univeristy of Michigan on the economic importance of the Great Lakes was recently released. Pretty interesting stuff. You can read the two page report yourself, but here are the basics:
1.51 million jobs supported by the Great Lakes
Great Lakes jobs by state:
Minnesota --> 11,877
Pennsylvania --> 25,479
Indiana --> 54,397
New York --> 157,547
Wisconsin --> 173,969
Ohio --> 178,621
Illinois --> 380,786
Michigan --> 525,886
Great Lakes jobs by industry
Manufacturing --> 994,879
Tourism and Recreation --> 217,635
Shipping --> 118,550
Agriculture / Fishing / Food production--> 118,430
Science and Engineering --> 38,085
Utilities --> 10,980
Mining --> 10,003
Michigan’s access to the Great Lakes created a concentration of manufacturing infrastructure that continues to drive industry today and therefore most manufacturing jobs are connected to the lakes. For further details, see:
www.miseagrant.umich.edu/economy
Basically...it's no accident that the industrial belt states are Great Lakes states. It's not just coincidence. It's the reason the Great Lakes states were and continue to be a major industrial center for the nation.
It's no accident that major fruit production regions are near the Great Lakes that moderate the temperatures to produce ideal micro-climates for fruit production.
And of course it's no accident that the Great Lakes are large centers of commercial fishing.
Fish production in 2000
Lake Whitefish --> 21,053,310 lbs
Yellow Perch --> 5,173,422 lbs
Walleye --> 7,291,891 lbs
Chubs --> 1,925,614 lbs
Smelt--> 7,650,842 lbs
Lake Trout --> 1,557,087 lbs
Channel Catfish --> 538,294 lbs
Carp --> 197,000 lbs
Specific Great Lakes produce most of the fish species commercially harvested. In
2000 about 60% of the lake whitefish came from Lake Huron; 97% of the walleye, 84% of
the yellow perch, and 94% of the smelt came from Lake Erie; and 80% of the chubs and 42% of the lake trout came from Lake Michigan.
So with the importance of these inland freshwater seas to our way of life from coast to coast fresh in our minds....from the jobs they create, the food they produce, the goods they help produce, the CO2 they reduce through more efficient shipping, the scenic beauty, respite, and fun they offer to visitors and nearby residents, the fresh drinking water they provide for millions...
With the importance of the Great Lakes fresh in our minds, it's a good time to ponder why it's so critical that we watch after these amazing inland fresh water seas:
keep the invasive species in check
keep a watchful eye for diversions
monitor surface and ground water levels closely
maintain responsible dredging
keep toxic chemical dumping in check
clean up areas that have been abused
restore and protect the wetlands
ensure the fisheries have the resources they need
create strict ballast water cleaning rules
The Great Lakes have been taken for granted for a long time, and Obama's commitment to finally provide Federal money for Great Lakes restoration efforts is an excellent start. The amount allocated was reduced this year from 450 million dollars to 300 million dollars. But it's still an incredible investment.