The Coastal States Organization represents the nation’s Coastal States, Territories, and Commonwealths on ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resource issues.

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The industry employs approximately 3.7 million people, with tourism and recreation as the largest marine sector, employing 2.6 million people. Marine transportation, ship and boat building, offshore mineral resources, and marine construction make up some of the other largest sectors driving growth. The states with the largest number of marine economy workers are Florida, California, and New York.

This new data is publicly available and accessible on the Digital Coast website and captures national and state-level data. The dataset also features time-series data on employment, establishments, wages, and contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) in multiple economic sectors that are dependent on the oceans and Great Lakes.

Learn more here.

The R.I. Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) has awarded funding for seven habitat restoration projects in the 23rd year of its RI Coastal and Estuarine Habitat Restoration Trust Fund (CEHRTF). Projects approved by the Council for funding this year include a tide gate repair, a habitat restoration and marsh migration project, dam removal, invasives management and eelgrass restoration and resilience efforts. As with previous years, in its request for proposals the CRMC put special emphasis on projects that would enhance the resiliency of Rhode Island’s coastal habitats to hazardous storm events and sea level rise. “The Rhode Island Coastal and Estuarine Habitat Restoration Trust Fund is 23 years old this year, and this year’s round of projects continue the work to restore salt marsh functions with migration in mind, restore fish passage in our riverine systems statewide, and improve the resilience of our natural areas to sea level rise and climate change,” said CRMC Executive Director Jeff Willis. “The CRMC is honored to have been a vital part of this work for more than two decades.” To date and including this year, the Trust Fund has awarded $5.25 million for 178 projects, which have leveraged more than $37 million in matching funds. Read more here.

South Carolina – Bureau of Coastal Management Launches Upgraded Platform to Track Abandoned Vessels

The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services’ Bureau of Coastal Management announced Tuesday the launch of their new tool to address abandoned and derelict vessels across South Carolina’s Coast. According to the bureau, these derelict vessels are a persistent issue in the state coastal environment, damaging sensitive marsh habitats, interfering with safe recreational use of waterways, and negatively impacting the visual quality of coastal landscapes. This newly enhanced tool was developed through the MyCoast South Carolina platform, aiming to improve public reporting, streamline interagency coordination, and increase transparency around ongoing efforts to address these abandoned vessels. Read more here.

Fairhope Mayor Sherry Sullivan, Fairhope City Council President Jimmy Conyers and Chris Blankenship, Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR), welcomed a crowd at the Fairhope Rose Garden to celebrate the completion of the project that included numerous aspects of construction and restoration, including the Fairhope Pier, South Beach Park, Rose Garden and fountain. “The goal of this effort was the restoration and new construction of improvements to the Fairhope Municipal Pier and South Beach Park. These improvements enhance vehicle and pedestrian access, strengthen waterfront infrastructure, and preserve public access to Mobile Bay while improving safety and usability for residents and visitors alike,” said Conservation Commissioner Blankenship. Read more here.

Texas Maritime Museum Launches Art Program Celebrating Coastal Heritage

The Texas Maritime Museum has announced the launch of Painting History, a new guided plein air art program designed to connect participants with the region’s coastal environment and maritime heritage. Led by professional artist-instructor Donna Lee Nyzio, the program invites artists of all skill levels to paint on-site at the museum grounds while learning foundational techniques in observation, composition, and personal expression. Rooted in the long tradition of artists documenting life on the water, the program encourages participants to interpret and preserve contemporary coastal scenes through their own work. “This program blends hands-on artistic practice with historical awareness,” said Shelly Knostman, Education Director at the Texas Maritime Museum. “By painting on-site, participants gain a deeper understanding of how artists have preserved maritime history for generations.” Read more here.

To promote the many beautiful public access areas, scenic overlooks, and scenic amenities along Ohio’s 312-mile Lake Erie coast, the Ohio Coastal Management Program initiated the Lake Erie Scenic Vistas program. The goal of the program is to identify — through a list of standardized criteria — locations that exhibit outstanding qualities ideal for Lake Erie scenic views. The benefits of enjoying Lake Erie’s scenic resources are abundant and extend beyond its natural splendor. Scenic Vistas promote restorative qualities, provide opportunities for rest, relaxation, and reflection, and help establish a sense of place. They may also serve as economic drivers for local communities through their regional or national appeal. Last week, Ohio DNR released a video highlighting the beauty of these vistas. Watch the video here.

EPA’s Research Vessel Lake Guardian Begins Annual Sampling of Great Lakes

On April 4, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) largest research vessel, the R/V Lake Guardian, began its annual water quality monitoring of the Great Lakes. The data collected help EPA and partner agencies assess ecosystem stressors, including invasive species and harmful algal blooms. The information EPA collects will also help support management of fisheries and water quality to better protect the Great Lakes so they can be used for drinking water, fishing, and recreation. During the month-long spring survey, scientists will visit each of the five Great Lakes to collect water samples and small aquatic organisms such as phytoplankton (microscopic algae) and zooplankton (small crustacean animals). The spring survey enables scientists to capture vital information because water temperatures are uniformly cold from top to bottom and nutrient concentrations are generally at their highest for the season. Because seasonal conditions affect the parameters studied, samples are collected in both the spring and summer to give a more complete picture of the conditions of the lakes. Read more here.

The County of Hawaiʻi announces the launch of the Coastal Zone Management Atlas, a new online tool that helps the public explore the island’s coastal hazards and ecosystems. Developed by the Planning Department with technical assistance from Tetra Tech, Inc., the atlas includes data layers and measurement tools on subjects such as coastal hazards and sea level rise, flood zones, coastal ecosystems, native forests and land cover, and more. The creation of the atlas was supported by the Hawaiʻi Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, Coastal Zone Management Program, pursuant to an award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Read more here.

Oregon – Coastal Collaboration Strengthens Fishing Safety Culture

Commercial fishing remains one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States. The fatality rate is 117 deaths per 100,000 workers — compared with a national average of four. Along the Oregon Coast, fatalities are most often tied to vessel disasters (47%), falls overboard (30%) and onboard injuries (12%). Beyond deaths, injuries are also common: about 20% of Oregon Dungeness crab fishermen report injuries each season, and roughly half of those injuries lead to lost work time or modified duties. For more than a decade, Oregon Sea Grant, the Oregon State University Extension Service, the OSU College of Health and coastal fishing communities have worked together to address those risks through a commercial fishing safety initiative built on trust, shared expertise and programs led by fishermen themselves. In 2024 and 2025, that work expanded across eight ports in Oregon and Washington after state maritime workforce funding helped scale up safety training, equipment distribution and workforce support. Read more here.

From balancing development with natural areas to protecting economic powerhouses, coastal management keeps our coasts thriving. For the tenth annual coastal management photo contest, we want to see your photos of coastal management in action. Show us your natural infrastructure projects, beautiful beaches you work to protect, working waterfronts, and more! Find inspiration from the list of nine categories. Submit photos to the tenth Coastal Management photo contest. Winners will be chosen by a panel of judges and will be featured on our social media during the month of May. Submit your photos by May 1, 2026.

[NEW] Requesting Applications for 2026 New Hampshire Coastal Resilience Grant Projects

The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) Coastal Program is requesting 2026 Coastal Resilience Grant (CRG) applications for projects. Projects must take place in one or more of New Hampshire’s Coastal Zone communities. The CRG funding opportunity supports projects that build capacity, advance planning, and develop designs to increase coastal resilience, with specific focus on community and/or habitat resilience. Approximately $100,000 in CRG funding is available. Applicants must request a minimum of $15,000 and no more than $40,000 per project. Funds are made available to the NHDES Coastal Program through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office for Coastal Management, under the Coastal Zone Management Act. For instructions, evaluation criteria, and to access the Application Form, visit the CRG website.

[NEW] NOAA’s Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary Management Plan Review

NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries is initiating a public process for reviewing the management plan of Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. This management plan review will ensure that the sanctuary’s resource protection, research, and education and outreach activities continue to effectively address current and emerging issues in the sanctuary. NOAA is asking for comments, through May 21, on the scope of the management plan review. This comment period is the first of multiple opportunities that interested parties will have to provide input into this review. For more information on NOAA’s topic areas of focus, please review the notice. Learn more here.

CSO Executive Director on ASPBA Podcast: Shaping Shores

CSO’s Executive Director Derek Brockbank was a guest on the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association podcast, “Shaping Shores.” This podcast series celebrates ASBPA’s 100th Anniversary. The episode also features Nicole Elko and discusses where ASBPA can help lead coastal communities over its next 100 years. Listen to the episode here.

Funding Opportunity: Fiscal Year 2024 & 2025 Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities

The Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program makes federal funds available to states, U.S. territories, federally recognized tribal governments, and local governments for hazard mitigation activities. It does so by recognizing the need to upgrade and modernize the nation’s infrastructure against the growing risks to communities and the need for natural hazard risk mitigation activities that promote resilience with respect to natural hazards. For this funding opportunity, the program prioritizes investment in infrastructure and construction projects that deliver immediate, measurable risk reduction to communities vulnerable to natural hazards. BRIC emphasizes the adoption and enforcement of modern building codes and limits capability- and capacity-building activities to those directly tied to infrastructure resilience, such as building code adoption and enforcement. Apply here.

Calling All Hosts: New NOAA Training on Oral Histories

Across many fields, including coastal management, oral histories are a tool for learning detailed information about people, places, and events. Host this course to bring the knowledge to co-create oral history interviews to your community. Participants will learn best practices for conducting oral histories that produce qualitative data, communication tips for sharing the value of these histories, and much more. Email NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management to learn how to share this training with your colleagues.

Call for Abstracts ASBPA National Coastal Conference

The American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) is pleased to announce a Call for Abstracts for the National Coastal Conference, celebrating 100 years of shore and beach preservation, to be held in New Jersey where in 1926 the first beach preservationists seeded a revolutionary idea for future coastal protection. The ASBPA National Coastal Conference, October 5-8, 2026 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, welcomes all coastal managers and stakeholders to learn the latest science, engineering, and policy needed to maintain and improve the health of our beachfront and estuarine shorelines and ecosystems, while developing collaborative networks to promote best management practices. Abstracts are due June 1st for PowerPoint presentations and August 15th for Poster Presentations. View the call for abstracts here.

Report: Priorities for Sustainable and Responsible Development of Offshore Renewable Energy on the West Coast

A new congressionally mandated report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine lays out strategies for the U.S. Coast Guard and other federal agencies to follow when planning offshore renewable energy projects along the U.S. West Coast. The report makes recommendations on data collection, interagency coordination, community engagement, and environmental protection that can inform the region’s clean energy agendas as well as consider the complex commercial, recreational, and security operations also taking place in those waters. The recommendations are intended to capture best practices and improve research, engagement, safety, and governance. The report outlines key benefits of the West Coast’s offshore wind development, including clean energy, job creation, local economic gains, and expanded scientific research and ecosystem monitoring, alongside potential drawbacks such as restricted fishing access, port disruption, maritime safety concerns, and marine ecosystem impacts. Read the press release here.

Coastal Southeast Technical Assistance Application

The Coastal Stormwater Center of the Southeast (CSC) is one of four EPA-funded Stormwater Centers of Excellence across the U.S. The Center for Watershed Protection is honored to lead the CSC alongside an incredible team of partners: University of Florida, East Carolina University, North Carolina Coastal Federation, Clemson University, Virginia Tech, University of Georgia, and Auburn University. Through the CSC, we’ll be offering technical assistance at no cost, to state, Tribal, and local governments and environmental non-profits tackling stormwater challenges across coastal VA, NC, SC, GA, FL, and AL. This is just one of the many initiatives we’ll be rolling out to support resilience and innovation across the region. Learn more here.

202-800-0580 | cso@coastalstates.org | www.coastalstates.org