• Estuaries are the nursery grounds for two-thirds of the fish and shellfish we eat.
• Estuaries provide essential food and habitat for birds, fish, and other plants and animals.
• Estuaries filter pollutants, improving water quality.
• Estuaries provide recreational opportunities like fishing, boating, swimming, and bird watching.
• Estuaries are home to ports, marinas, and commercial shipping activities.
• Estuaries help protect shorelines from flooding and erosion.