Look beyond the beauty of our coastal wetlands and you'll find this habitat hard at work. Wetlands filter our water, protect our coastal communities from floods, and provide habitat for fish and other wildlife. Coastal wetlands are some of the most productive ecosystems on Earth, and generate more than half of commercially harvested seafood in the United States. In 2015, U.S. fisheries supported 1.6 million jobs (a 1 percent increase from 2011) and contributed $208 billion in sales (a 12 percent increase from 2011). Development and agriculture contribute extra nutrients, pesticides, and silt to local rivers. Runoff from hard surfaces like concrete, asphalt, and rooftops is a leading cause of water pollution. Wetlands trap and filter these impurities, maintaining healthy rivers, bays and beaches.