This indicator tracks the output of Puget Sound’s natural resource industries, such as fishing, shellfish aquaculture, agriculture, timber, and tourism and recreation. The data collected will help us understand the viability of natural resource industries in the Puget Sound region over time.

• Since 2005, the combined value of natural resource industry products has fluctuated showing mixed results since patterns differ across the industries.
• Combined product value (prices paid to producers for unprocessed timber, fish, shellfish, crops and livestock) averaged about $1.8 billion ($2021) annually from 2005 through 2021, with mixed trends.
• Shellfish aquaculture landed values peaked in 2011 and 2013 with values of approximately $82 million and $90 million ($2021), respectively. The values from 2014 through 2019 ranged between $60 million and $80 million ($2021). These values dipped from $79 million in 2019 to $60 million in 2020 and further decreased to $39 million ($2021) in 2021.
• Commercial fishing value (finfish and shellfish) trended upward from $91 million in 2005 to $176 million in 2011 ($2021), then declined until 2014 followed by relatively stable values between $112 million and $124 million through 2017 ($2021). These values declined significantly from the 2017 amount to a little over $66 million in 2018, and then ranged between approximately $65 million to $86 million from 2019 to 2021 ($2021). This was driven by a decrease in finfish numbers partly due to low coho returns and resulting fishery closures.
• Timber production values show a sharp downward swing between 2007 and 2010 with a recovery from 2011 to 2019, reaching a peak value of approximately $255 million ($2021) in both 2018 and 2019. It then dipped again in 2020 and 2021, reaching $202 million ($2021) in 2021.
• With the exception of a decline from 2005 to 2007, the value of agricultural products has remained relatively flat.
• Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from Puget Sound-related tourism and recreation activities has shown a significant upward trend until 2019 (with the exception of 2008 and 2009), reaching an estimated $5.9 billion ($2021) in 2019. A noticeable decline occurred in 2020 with the estimated GDP reaching $3.7 billion in 2020 ($2021) due to the effects related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This quickly changed to an upward trend in 2021, with the estimated GDP from these activities reaching $4.7 billion ($2021).