Despite the harvesting limitations due to shellfish bed closures, habitat destruction and overfishing, commercial shellfishing is still a significant part of coastal economies. In some highly publicized cases, shellfish populations have significantly declined or crashed. Habitat for Other Wildlife Coastal waters, wetlands, dunes, beaches, and other coastal habitats provide important dwelling places for birds, marine life, and terrestrial wildlife. Many of these habitats are threatened by development pressures. Colonial waterbirds, shorebirds, songbirds, waterfowl, and raptors use coastal waters and wetlands as breeding grounds, nesting areas, and foraging habitat.
Coastal habitats are especially vital to threatened and endangered species.
Coastal areas provide habitat for more endangered and threatened species than inland areas. Chasis, Lehner and Bortman 10. Weber and Gradwohl 136. Sherman quotes a study performed by Douglas W. Lipton, Director of the University of Maryland Sea Grant College Extension Program. Sport Fishing Institute 7. 16.