By LADON SWANN

W ater-dependent businesses, such as boat-building and shipbuilding, charter boats, commercial fishing, docks, wharves, marinas, recreational fishing and nature-based tourism, depend on access to portions of Alabama's 600 miles of estuarine and Gulf shoreline.

Although there is no composite economic information for all water-dependent businesses, we easily recognize the value to the economy from this very special group of economic drivers. Most of these small businesses have existed for many generations.

As a result, the mostly family-owned and operated businesses and the infrastructure that supports these businesses place them among the most recognized landmarks or activities in our coastal communities.

Alabama's working waterfronts provide goods and services to virtually everyone who lives on the coast. To some degree, we chose to live here because of these businesses.

For example, imagine looking out into Mobile Bay and not being able to enjoy the annual sailboat regatta; not being able to watch the shrimp boats working opening day of brown shrimp season; not being able to enjoy the numerous shrimp and seafood festivals; not having access to truly fresh seafood available right off the boat; not being able to see the oyster catchers at Cedar Point; not having access to dockside fuel, ice or pump-out stations; not being able to launch a boat; not having access to public beaches; or not having access to any of other water-dependent activities that make living on the coast so enjoyable.

The population density of Mobile and Baldwin counties is twice that of any other Alabama county. As the coastal population increases, we will likely lose a high percentage of our economically and culturally important working waterfront.

The reason is clear: Many of our new residents desire to live on expensive waterfront property -- and have the income to do so. This leads to the economic and physical displacement of much of the traditional working waterfront.

The term "gentrification" can be used to describe the process.

Everyone recognizes the importance of development to our local economies, but we sometimes fail to agree on how to strike a balance between new development and the overall value provided by our traditional working waterfronts.

The loss of the working waterfront is a nationwide issue that has to be addressed by these water-dependent industries with support from federal, state and local governments.

Indeed, for each of the past two years federal legislation has been introduced to support the nation's working waterfront. States such as Maine, North Carolina and Florida have passed progressive legislation in support of working waterfronts.

In Alabama, several local communities have recognized the value of their working waterfront and have taken a variety of measures to help preserve them.

Orange Beach recently purchased a marina to help alleviate the development pressure on waterfront property too expensive for many small businesses. This purchase is significant because of the precedent set by a local government to sustain the economically important recreational fishing industry.

Direct acquisition of working waterfront property by local governments is uncommon, and likely will not be used often because of the high cost placed on local budgets.

Dauphin Island has identified working waterfronts as an economic driver for the historical fishing community, and has plans to protect them from unmanaged development.

Planning efforts in Bayou La Batre also acknowledged the value of that city's working waterfronts, and recommendations have been made to use its rich fishing heritage to attract tourism by marketing the Bayou La Batre-Coden communities as a working waterfront village.

Understanding the need to sustain the working waterfront in the north central Gulf of Mexico is not limited to Alabama.

After Hurricane Katrina, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour established the statewide Commission on Rebuilding and Recovery to develop and implement plans for the state's long-term recovery.

The committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Marine Resources identified the loss of Mississippi's working waterfront as an area of concern. Some progress has been made since the final report was released.

In particular, it is important to know that funds from Mississippi's Coastal Impact Assistance Program will likely be directed toward working waterfronts.

Here in Alabama, a group of water-dependent businesses from both sides of Mobile Bay have formed the Alabama Working Waterfront Coalition. The AWWC currently consists of commercial and recreational fishing industries, seafood processors, boat-builders and nature-based tourism representatives.

The coalition's goal is to coordinate with all sectors of the working waterfront to develop and implement strategies to ensure the future of Alabama's water-dependent businesses.

The AWWC holds regular meetings, and some of the programs under way include an inventory of Mobile County's water-dependent businesses, planning for the development of safe harbors for use during storm events, and current-use tax legislation.

I firmly believe that without direct state involvement, the commendable and forward-thinking efforts under way in Alabama's coastal communities will not be enough to secure the future of this important business sector. Alabama has to take a serious look at maintaining its working waterfront before it disappears.

Short-term hurricane relief or the long-term Coastal Impact Assistance Program seem to be extraordinarily appropriate sources of potential funding.

I hope Gov. Bob Riley recognizes the value of Alabama's working waterfront and provides the necessary support so that industry and state, local, federal and non-profit agencies can work together to develop and implement recommendations for sustaining it.

If Alabamians do not build working waterfronts into plans for expanding economic development, then coastal Alabama may go the way of other regions of the nation.