Even more Americans watch and photograph wildlife. Commercial Fishery Yields Depend on Clean Water Baltimore journalist H.L. Mencken once described the Chesapeake Bay as a giant protein factory because of its incredibly productive fish and shellfish habitat. But profitable fisheries and a prosperous economy have come at a cost to fish populations in coastal waters, a situation only worsened by polluted waters. Data from the National Marine Fisheries Service show declining populations for many species, including salmon, halibut, perch, cod, haddock, and flounder. These declines can be linked to a number of factors, including overfishing and habitat loss.
Environmental degradation is a key factor.
Wetlands provide critical habitat during various life cycle phases for about 70 percent of all commercial fish species. In the Clean Water Action Plan, the President set a goal of reversing the historic pattern of wetland losses in the United States and achieving a net increase of 100,000 acres of wetlands each year, beginning in 2005. Clean Water Feeds America Water is an absolute necessity for ensuring agricultural productivity. Water, in combination with rich agricultural lands and technological advancements, helps make all this productivity possible. The agricultural industry uses 63 percent of all groundwater withdrawals, mostly for irrigation.