Shrimp production, in particular, has been shown to be directly proportional to the acreage of vegetated wetlands in an estuary. The vast expanse of vegetated wetlands in coastal Georgia make this a very important are for shrimp production in the south Atlantic. Striped bass, an important recreational fish in Georgia, is also dependent on wetlands for the small fish upon which it feeds. The Clean Water Act and the state's coastal wetlands statute have slowed the state's wetland loss rate, but wetlands in coastal states such as Georgia continue to be lost to development at a higher rate than is occurring in inland states, particularly in the southeast United States. Consistent, long-term protection for wetlands at the Federal, state, and local level is essential for protection of the fish habitats and fisheries that are so important to the economy of Georgia.
Commercial fishing is also an important industry in Florida.
Many of the commonly-fished marine recreational species, such as flounder, sea trout, and bluefish, depend upon estuarine wetlands. Juvenile flounder and sea trout seek refuge in the shallow waters of tidal creeks and wetlands, and depend on the rich detrital food chain of those areas. Human disturbance and destruction of estuarine habitats, including wetlands, is the primary threat to young fish of these important species. Adult bluefish feed on the small fish that inhabit coastal wetlands. Bluefish populations along the Atlantic coast have been in decline, and scientists believe that loss of wetland habitat is partly to blame.