By Emma Bouthillette 

Staff Writer

Sunbathing on the sand may not seem like an activity to boost local economy, but presenters at the Maine Beaches Conference July 10 at Southern Maine Community College beg to differ.

“Maine beaches have economic value, but it is becoming more important to quantify it …  unfortunately beaches differ in that economic value derives from aesthetic values,” Maine State Economist Michael LeVert said. “We don’t have the data to fully quantify it. We can explore the impact in different ways.”

While aesthetics, such as enjoying the beach during the summer or the beautiful coastal views are mostly free, LeVert said assessing the tourist industry in coastal communities, the seasonal changes and the property assessments in proximity to the coast help determine the value of beaches. He said nearly $500 million is spent in coastal communities, which supports more than 8,000 jobs.

Katie and Chris Fairbanks, of Boston, enjoyed a perfect beach day last Friday at Fortune’s Rocks Beach in Biddeford with their dog Ernie. Katie Fairbanks said she has been visiting the same beach “since she was born” and finds her trips to Fortune’s Rocks to be “sentimental.”

“I love the beach,” she said, adding on the way to Biddeford, they take Route 1 starting in Hampton, N.H.

Along the coastal route and while in Biddeford, Katie Fairbanks said they have certain places they like to frequent, such as Allison’s Restaurant in Kennebunkport. 

 Money spent benefits not only business owners, but also benefits employees, who in turn spend more money locally, LeVert said. He said nearly 10,000 jobs are added in York County coastal communities during summer months, while jobs in non-coastal communities do not increase seasonally. 

Linwood Pendleton, a senior fellow at The Ocean Foundation in Washington, D.C., has been studying beaches of southern California to determine the value of the coast, as well as the impact of sea level rise and major storms. 

“Southern California beaches in Los Angeles and Orange County have 150 million visits to beaches that generates $4 billion annually,” Pendleton said of the 51 public beaches in the area.

Pendleton used data from a yearlong study of 900 residences to compare current conditions to one meter (3.3 feet) of sea level rise in the future. He said he found sea level rises affect the widths of beaches. As smaller beaches nearly disappear with sea level rise, beachgoers tend to visit larger beaches more. 

“From an economic perspective there are winners and losers,” Pendleton said of the shift. 

He also analyzed what would happen with a big shift in weather and a major storm in addition to the rise in sea level. He said big beaches would potentially lose a lot of sand, and predicted visitors would head to smaller beaches. 

“In Maine there are fewer beach substitutes and the substitutes are farther apart,” Pendleton said. While most people would have to drive to another beach in Maine, he said, it is easy to walk between multiple beaches in southern California. 

He said the lack of substitute beaches could be offset by increased access to existing public or private beaches, improved water quality and beach cleanliness, as well as offer more activities, such as beach volleyball, bicycle paths, wildlife viewing, retail and surfing access. 

Some beaches restrict activities such as surfing, but waves at Fortune’s Rocks Beach are a surfing destination for most. Sebastien Lord was trying his hand at hanging 10 for the first time during his vacation, renting a house at Fortune’s Rocks. Lord traveled to Biddeford from Quebec City.

“I used to come here with my family when I was young,” Lord said. “I like the sun, and it’s beautiful here.”

Staff writer Emma Bouthillette can be reached at 282-4337 ext. 237.