Conference Agenda

Rhode Island’s fishery sector is presented as a policy-relevant case study for blue economic development in the United States. We examine its economic performance, structural trends, and environmental footprint, amid climate change, regulatory evolution, and competing ocean uses. The findings offer insights applicable to other regions seeking to balance economic viability, environmental sustainability, and inclusive growth within the blue economy. In 2024, Rhode Island's commercial fishing landings generated 89.126 million dollars in direct output, supporting 1,252 jobs and 62.8 million dollars in labor income, underscoring the sector’s importance to the state’s coastal economy. Beyond the estimated direct effects, fishing activity stimulates significant indirect and induced impacts across seafood processing, food services, retail, housing, healthcare, utilities, and marine support industries. Using an input–output framework, we estimate that a one-dollar increase in commercial fishery output generates an additional 0.19 dollars in economy-wide output, alongside a 7% increase in labor income and a 6% increase in employment. Environmental analysis indicates that the sector generates approximately 29.1 million CO2-equivalents under the 20-year global warming potential metric, with upstream activities accounting for just over half of total emissions. Despite its economic significance, the sector has become increasingly vulnerable to external shocks, resulting in declining landings and employment since 2020. All together, the results highlight the need for an integrated economic and environmental policy approach to support the long-term resilience of fisheries.