Great Lakes Forever c/o Biodiversity Project 4507 N Ravenswood #106 Chicago, IL 60640 773-496-4020 phone 773-906-1303 fax project@biodiverse.org   Intro :: Environment :: Cultural History :: Economy :: Policy :: Fun Facts Even today the natural bounty of the Great Lakes ecosystem serves as the very foundation of the region’s primary economic activities, including agriculture, shipping, recreation and tourism, and commercial fishing.   Agriculture   Thanks to rich soil, ample rainfall and a moderately long growing season, the Great Lakes region boasts a high level of agricultural productivity. The eight Great Lakes states are responsible for 30% of U.S. agricultural sales, while Ontario accounts for more than a quarter of Canada's.   The majority of farm sales in the Great Lakes region - 80% - is tied to five commodities: milk, corn, soybeans, cattle and hogs. The region also offers unique climatic niches that are perfect for a variety of specialty crops, such as grapes, tobacco, tree fruits and nursery products.   However, with one-third of the Great Lakes basin's land in agricultural use (see orange and light green areas below), it comes as no surprise that farming practices influence the ecosystem's health. Poor land management can lead to soil erosion and sedimentation of nearby streams, as well as habitat destruction and impairment of recreational activities. Excess fertilizers, poorly managed livestock waste, pesticides and herbicides are washed into Great Lakes tributaries, contributing to Great Lakes beach closings, public health emergencies, "dead zones" and fish contamination.   Industry & Manufacturing   Easy access to water for industrial processes, proximity to natural resources (such as iron ore) and the Great Lakes transportation system all contributed to the region's growth and prominence in the auto, steel, chemical and other industries. These industries still play an important roll in the region's economy.   Great Lakes water also plays an essential role in providing electrical power across the region. Power plants cluster on the shores of the Lakes because these plants use enormous amounts of water for cooling and for steam generation to drive the turbines that supply electricity to millions in the region. In fact, one of Wisconsin's new power plants will use more water than the entire city of Chicago. The Lakes also provide hydro-power to generate electricity, at sites such as Niagara Falls. Off-shore wind production in the Great lakes is becoming more and more possible - and contested - each day.   Shipping   Transportation via the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence system played a pivotal role in the development of the Great Lakes region - promoting settlement, agricultural development and manufacturing. The St. Lawrence Seaway opened in 1959, connecting Lake ports to global trade. Fifty million tons of cargo - mostly grain, coal, iron ore and petroleum products - are transported via the waterway annually, generating more than $3 billion in business revenue and personal income and more than 60,000 Canadian and U.S. jobs.   This boon is tempered, however, by the industry's environmental and economic impacts. Shipping and dredging can be damaging to marine habitats, and may aggravate polluted sediments in the Lake. Invasive species have the greatest impact of all. Due to transoceanic vessels, invaders like the sea lamprey have ravaged native populations, resulting in the collapse of commercial and sport fisheries. Another major problem, the zebra mussel, was introduced to the Lakes in 1986 in the ballast water of an ocean freighter, is not only outcompeting the Great-Lakes-native mussels, it is capturing the food supply of other native fish. The decline in food supply makes its way up the food chain, affecting virtually all aquatic and land species that eat them.   Tourism & Recreation   The Great Lakes' beauty and wealth of fish, wildlife and natural places is appealing to boaters, beach-goers, anglers, hunters, wildlife-enthusiasts and campers. Hunters of the Great Lakes region spend more than $2.6 billion annually. Recreational boaters of the Great Lakes spend more than $2 billion and Great Lakes anglers spend $4 billion each year.   Commercial Fisheries   Fishing has been a mainstay for Great Lakes inhabitants since Native Americans and People of the First Nations first came to the region 10,000 years ago. European settlers began commercially fishing the Lakes in the 1820s, prospering on the abundance of lake herring, chubs, lake trout, whitefish, yellow perch and sturgeon. Great Lakes fisheries harvested a record high of 147 million pounds – in the late 1800s. Since then, overharvesting, pollution, shoreline and stream habitat destruction, and the introduction of menacing invasive species (such as the sea lamprey and zebra mussel) have thrown many commercial fisheries into drastic decline. Despite the more efficient equipment of the modern fishing industry, average annual catches only reached 22 million pounds in 1999. Not only has the total catch been reduced, but many native species – such as the lake trout, sturgeon and lake herring - survive in vastly reduced numbers.   Environmental Degradation Threatens the Great Lakes Economy   All of the industries listed above depend on the Great Lakes for their prosperity. There must be healthy populations of fish to have a stable fishing industry. Beaches must be clean for tourists to swim in them. Waters must be free of excess sediment for ships to navigate through them. Dredging alone costs approximately $33 million each year.   The Great Lakes’ natural bounty has been, and continues to be, essential to the region’s economy. Learn more about threats to the Great Lakes health and what you can do to protect the Lakes.   Learn More About the Great Lakes Economy   Great Lakes Information Network: Economy Links to just about everything there is to know about the Great Lakes economy, including current events.