August 6, 2024 — With its 381 miles of coastline, Delaware is a logical home for growing the “blue economy” – a new business and social classification that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) defines as “a knowledge based economy, looking to the sea not just for extraction of material goods, but for data and information to address societal challenges and inspire their solutions.”
Delaware has long enjoyed a vibrant beach-and-coastal economy driven by recreation and tourism and by commercial sea fishing. In the1800s, shipbuilding along Wilmington’s waterfront was a thriving industry.
Today, Delaware is building on that base with a blue economy that depends on technological innovation and public and private cooperation. Already, the first steps are being taken. They include establishing an industry supporting offshore clean-energy wind farms all along the Atlantic coastline, reinvigorating seafood-producing aquaculture businesses and building a virtual incubator to grow small, technology-driven research and development ventures that attract established businesses looking for centralized coastal locations.