A filleted fish, blanketed in ice, is displayed at Barrington’s Shaw’s supermarket. Shoppers looking to buy it may not fully understand the impact of their purchase — by buying the fish, they will not only support the supermarket, but also the vessel that caught the fish, the people that shipped it, and the suppliers that sold it. Perhaps unwittingly, the shopper will contribute to the blue economy.
According to the World Bank, the blue economy is the "sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem." We interact with our oceans in many ways — we swim in them, traverse them, and sometimes pollute them unwittingly. Perhaps most importantly, we use them for economic gain. Every time a person buys a fish or pays for a package shipped across the water, they contribute to the blue economy.
We exploit oceans for food, energy, and even tourism — we fish in them, dam them to generate hydropower, and build hotels on the waterfront. This generates massive amounts of income — the United Nations estimates the ocean economy to have a turnover of three to six trillion dollars per year.
Fishermen, boat captains, divers, and people in countless other jobs are dependent on the blue economy for their livelihood. But oceans also fight against climate change; they are the greatest heat sinks on the planet and are also efficient carbon sinks. The National Ocean Service stated that anywhere from 50 to 80% of the oxygen production on Earth comes from the ocean.
This creates a pressing question — how do we make money from our oceans in a way that doesn’t harm them and is environmentally sustainable? The idea of a blue economy aims to find ways to fuel the economic benefits of water bodies while still being good for the environment. This is especially important to consider in areas like Rhode Island, which, being coastal, are economically dependent on bodies of water.
Supporting the blue economy requires investing in science — using the latest research, technology, and data helps to enact long-term change. It also requires being aware of and adapting to the impacts of climate change. Some examples of supporting the blue economy include reducing overfishing, using data from ocean floats, and using buoys to predict tsunamis. Policy changes are also good solutions — for example, tightening regulations around using ocean resources will help us use them more effectively.
The concept of a blue economy shows how sustainability, the economy, and technology are all connected. For states like Rhode Island, balancing economic gain and sustainability is especially important. The blue economy should matter to policy-makers and voters around the world.