SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. - The Delaware Shoreline draws in many, from boating to the beaches. It's these recreations that contribute to the local economy and ultimately the state's. An update to the Coastal Economy Project that was done 10 years ago will give the necessary updates on the environmental changes in the coast since then and its affect on local businesses that rely on it.
University of Delaware's Ph.D student Caitlin Wilson and Assistant Professor James Rising will lead research on the shore's condition and talk with the beach town's governments and businesses to see how these conditions have affected them. The first phase of updating this report will require reflecting on the available data from the last study.
"What the previous report found was that for every dollar spent, almost $2, $1.67 is produced for the rest of the rest of the state and so the contribution of the coastal economy is actually quite a bit bigger than what you might expect from just the towns themselves." said Rising.
Captain Brinleigh Parsons at Fisherman's Wharf in Lewes said she has seen the environment change which has and may continue to affect the business, "For example this year we had seal watching trips at The Point where it says on the charts where it drops off 40 to 50 feet deep... it's now like 25 foot deep."
Beach towns from Lewes and south hope this study will bring attention to the threat of sea level rise, increased flooding, and other concerns to the state's attention.
The study will follow the same IMPLAN model as the original from 10 years ago and be supported by the Delaware Sea Grant.
The report for this project is expected to be finalized by June 5.
For more information on this study, you can visit here.
