The employment in natural resource industries indicator tells us how many jobs are supported by natural resource industries in Puget Sound, including aquaculture, timber, fishing, agriculture, and recreation and tourism. This information can be used to track changes in the sustainability of employment opportunities in natural resource industries.

• Since 2005, there has been a positive trend in the number of jobs and the wage levels supported by natural resource industries in Puget Sound. However, the progress is mixed since patterns differ across the industries.
• Combined employment in natural resource-driven industries in Puget Sound has trended upward from an estimated 75,603 jobs in 2005 to an estimated 100,355 jobs in 2018, largely impacted by growth in Puget Sound shoreline recreation and tourism. Total wages across these industries have also increased from approximately $1.7 billion in 2005 to $2.6 billion in 2018 ($2018).
• Aquaculture, agriculture, and recreation and tourism sectors all report general employment and total wages growth from 2005 to 2018. Employment in aquaculture and agriculture each have increased by an average of 1 to 4 percent per year since 2005, while recreation and tourism saw average annual employment growth of 3 percent per year between 2005 and 2018.
• Nearly 4,000 employed or self-employed people reported fishing employment in 2018. The fishing employment trend is mixed between 2005 and 2012, followed by a decline of roughly 230 people between 2012 and 2015, then another decline of about 520 people between 2015 and 2018. Total wages for the fishing industry show a similar downward trend.
• The timber extraction industry (forestry/logging and support activities) lost employment from 2005 to 2011, but held steady at around 1,300 to 1,400 jobs from 2011 to 2018. While timber employment stayed about the same, total wages for the timber industry have alternately decreased and increased during that timeframe.