Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Oregon Inlet Carries Area Economy; 9,851 Jobs & $682.7M Annually

Oregon Inlet is one of the most dynamic inlets on the east coast and has been a challenge to navigate since a hurricane first opened it in 1846. The inlet is the only passage between sound and ocean from Virginia to Hatteras Inlet and shifting sands have moved it more than two miles in the last 160 years. As a result, Oregon Inlet requires a great deal of maintenance to remain navigable and local officials have fought for years to secure minimal funds. Although 8 studies have been done on the economic importance of the inlet to the state, a new $80k survey funded by the Oregon Inlet and Waterways Commission was the first to consider the entire value of the inlet beyond simply commercial fishing and charters. The new report reveals that inlet-related commercial fishing, seafood packing and processing, boat building and recreational fishing and tourism industries create more than 9,851 jobs and $682.7 million in annual revenues. These new figures should help area officials keep projects like inlet dredging off the back burner in the legislature and ensure that fishermen have access to a safe channel. More on the study is available from The Virginian-Pilot; an aerial photographic history of Oregon Inlet from 1932 is available from the Army.

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