Founded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in 1988, National Estuaries Week is recognized every third week of September as an opportunity to learn more about the benefits of our estuaries and coasts.

Estuaries are important to our environment, because they house many species of fish, reptiles, mammals and other aquatic life. They provide nesting and feeding habitats for plants and animals. Estuaries also act as a pollutant shield by filtering sediments from rivers and streams before they flow into the oceans.  According to the National Safety Council’s Environmental Center, estuaries provide habitat for more than 75 percent of the U.S. commercial fish catch, and even greater percentage of recreational fish catch. The total fish catch in estuaries contributes $4.3 billion a year to the U.S. economy.

DHEC manages development, alterations, and shoreline stabilization activities in coastal and estuarine “tidelands” (land at or below high tide including coastal wetlands, mudflats and similar areas adjacent to coastal waters and integral to estuarine systems).

Here are some ways to celebrate National Estuaries Week:

• Organize a community restoration event at a local bay, riverfront, ocean, or waterway.
• Find a reserve that offers tours of estuaries to learn more.
• Participate in canoe trip around an estuary.

Learn more ways to be involved with National Estuaries Week at https://estuaries.org/get-involved/new/.