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U nderstanding and promoting the Blue Economy and BlueTech is critical for the future of the U.S. and the world. Yet we don’t know in the U.S. and around the world how big our ocean and maritime tech industries are. Why? Because in most countries traditional, “visible” mari- time industries (e.g. fi shing and shipbuilding) have been on a decline while fast growing BlueTech companies have been largely invisible. Why are they invisible? First, BlueTech manufacturers typically sell 98-99% outside of wherever they are located so they don’t belong to the local Chamber of Commerce or Economic Development Agency nor do politicians know they exist. Second, because BlueTech companies are so diverse, while most belong to relevant in- dustry associations, it is not immediately obvious why they should participate in a regional cluster association that repre- sents companies linked primarily by all being ocean related. And on an institutional level, economic industry codes (e.g. NAICS codes for Canada, Mexico and the U.S. in NAFTA) sweep BlueTech companies into larger land-based categories so there is no baseline Blue Economy to assess. Why should economic development and elected offi cials pay attention if there is no way to understand the current economic value of the oceans let alone future potential? We need to create a national Blue Voice in every country. We need to create formal BlueTech clusters around the U.S. and around the world to develop a local/regional Blue Voice that regional offi cials can “hear” and support. And we need to change economic activity codes because both manufacturing processes and products/services for the oceans are very differ- ent from those on land. The Maritime Alliance The Maritime Alliance (www.themaritimealliance.org) was created in 2007 and The Maritime Alliance Foundation (TMA Foundation) (www.tmafoundation.org) was estab- lished in 2013. TMA is a 501c6 advocacy-oriented non-profi t that is the organizer of the San Diego maritime technology cluster (essentially a BlueTech industry association) focused on: Economic Development; Ecosystem Development; and Community Outreach. TMAF is a 501c3 education-oriented non-profi t focused on: Workforce Development (including OceanSTEM); Research; and National/International Out- reach. We believe in creating BlueTech and Blue Jobs by pro- moting sustainable, science-based ocean industries. We do this by bringing education, policy and technology resources together to promote innovation and economic development in the Blue Economy and to create a Blue Voice. Th e Blue Economy If You Can’t Measure It, You Can’t Manage it … or Get Attention and Funding! By Michael B. Jones OpEd 20 MTR September 2014 MTR #7 (18-33).indd 20 8/26/2014 11:32:17 AM
