An Interview with Jennifer McCann

Director, US Coastal Programs, URI Coastal Resources Center, Director of Extension, Rhode Island Sea Grant and Lead Author of “The Value of Rhode Island’s Blue Economy,” March 2020

When looking at the Blue Economy in Rhode Island, the first thing that needs to be addressed is the disproportionate impact the ocean has on the people of this state when compared to other states. According to Economics: National Ocean Watch (ENOW), about 3% of the population of Rhode Island’s neighboring states, Massachusetts and Connecticut, work in the ocean economy. The same percentage is true of California, with a coastline of nearly 3,500 miles. In Rhode Island, people working in the Blue Economy represents three times that number – 9% of our total population. We all make up the Blue Economy. It’s all of us. We are the “Ocean State.” It even says so on our license plates.

But the Blue Economy wouldn’t be here if we hadn’t made long-term investments by government, industry, academia, research institutions and communities. We need to bolster our Blue Economy and we need economic development, but we also need our government agencies and our non-profits to make sure that the way we develop is sustainable. We must proactively design our Blue Economy so that we consider not just our economic needs in the present, but also our future well-being, whether it be economic or environmental.

I like to come back to the statement made by Senator Whitehouse at the beginning of this feature who said, “In Rhode Island, we have a lot of stars, but they work better as part of a constellation rather than a single star twinkling in the sky.” I 100% agree with that. We have some amazing trade associations – RIMTA, SENEDIA, the Propeller Club, the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation, etc. The trade associations are really the glue that holds the network together. They are where collaboration begins. They really are encouraging the enhancers, the workforce, the quality of place, and the innovation.

Our coasts and oceans are at a premium. When we move forward with strategically bolstering our Blue Economy, we need to recognize that it’s about quality versus quantity. When planning for our coasts, there must be a balance between environmental protection and economic development. Our regulatory agencies must work hard to ensure that our choices of development are sustainable. We need to maintain—and strengthen—those agencies so that we are making decisions that benefit us now and in the future.

As we move forward with enhancing our Blue Economy, we need to support the leadership and involvement of all Rhode Islanders including low wealth, BIPOC, and other persons of color. This needs to be a priority to guarantee the sustainability and continued agility and creativity of this sector. This action, I believe, will lead to pride, ownership, understanding, access, and broader participation in the sustainable management, growth, and health of the state's Blue Economy.

It’s important to recognize the role of University of Rhode Island, the Graduate School of Oceanography, and the entire Bay Campus in being a steward of the ocean. We are implementing research and guiding policies that are helping the people of Rhode Island to better understand, manage and develop the natural resources of our state. We are a public institution and it’s our responsibility to provide that service.

We need innovation to stimulate blue tech commercialization, and the Bay Campus can provide the forum where that innovation takes place. We can augment a competitive and sustainable Blue Economy workforce pipeline, while enabling coastal and ocean access stewardship opportunities for all Rhode Islanders.

The ocean is so critical to us. It is part of who we are, who we have been and who we will be. It started with the indigenous people, then the Industrial Revolution, and it will take us into the future with offshore wind and aquaculture. The ocean flows in our veins and in our economic and social well-being.

Our legacy needs to be one that ensures that everybody in Rhode Island can gain invaluable experience and understanding of our coasts and ocean, so that we recognize the value of it not only for today but for tomorrow.

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