National Estuaries Week

WHEREAS, the Weeks Bay Estuary Research Reserve, the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program, Mobile Bay and Perdido Bay are integral to the state of Alabama; and

WHEREAS, estuary regions are home to countless fish, plants and wildlife species and support a vibrant coastal economy; and

WHEREAS, preserving estuary habitats and fish populations will also preserve Alabama’s commercial fish industry, 86 percent of which consists of species that are dependent on estuaries; and

WHEREAS, millions of tourists come to Alabama to visit the beautiful Gulf Coast, adding almost $11.4 billion to the state’s economy annually; and

WHEREAS, protecting and restoring our estuaries is vital to our local and national economy because they sustain the fisheries that feed America, ensure outdoor recreational opportunities for current and future generations, reduce the costly impacts of natural hazards and support local jobs which cannot be exported:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert Bentley, Governor of Alabama, do hereby proclaim the week of September 20 through 27, 2014, as

National Estuaries Week

in the state of Alabama.