III.C.3. Commercial and Sport Fisheries

Commercial Fisheries

The mid-Atlantic region, which for purposes of fisheries data, includes the States of Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and New York, represents a commercial fishery whose combined landings in 1982 totaled 920,155,000 pounds, with an ex-vessel value of $212,764,000 (Chesapeake region included) (National Marine Fisheries Service, 1983). Mid-Atlantic landings have been relatively stable, or slightly increasing between 1974 through 1981 (see Figure III.C-3-1). For a yearly account of mid-Atlantic commercial fishing landings, trends composition, and harvest fluctuations from 1951 through 1974, refer to Gusey (1976). The 1982 mid-Atlantic landings represent 14.5 percent and 8.9 percent of the total U.S. landings, in terms of volume and value, respectively. The top 10 species harvested in the mid-Atlantic region are listed in Table III.C.3-1, and shown graphically in Figures III.C.3-2 and 3. In addition, Table 4 (Appendix G) lists all species reported in the National Marine Fisheries Service compilation of preliminary landings data for the mid-Atlantic and Chesapeake regions during 1982. The grand totals for the regions do not agree with the previously cited figures for total mid-Atlantic and Chesapeake regions because some of the landing data in the summation is confidential and cannot be reported in a species-specific listing.

A review of the landings data quickly points out the value of shellfish in the mid-Atlantic region. The top six species listed, in terms of economic importance, are shellfish. If these values are added, they represent approximately 85 percent of the total economic value of the region. It is also readily apparent from Table 4 (Appendix G), that the Chesapeake region (Virginia and Maryland) generates the majority of the landings in the mid-Atlantic region. The Chesapeake landings represent 63 percent and 51 percent of the regional total, in terms of volume and value, respectively.

An individual State-by-State profile is presented in Tables 5 through 9 in Appendix G, and totals are presented graphically in Figure III.C.3-3. In terms of economic importance, the larger States demonstrate a nearly equal importance. Species composition varied from State to State, but the total value of the fisheries in 1982 were very comparable. Mid-Atlantic fisheries of economic importance are concentrated in nearshore and coastal waters.

Figure III.C.3-1.

Mid-Atlantic (including Chesapeake) commercial fisheries landings during 1974-1982 (USDOC, NMFS, annually 1975 through 1983).

Among the species listed in Tables 5 through 9 (Appendix H), only swordfish, tilefish, and lobster represent species landed in outer continental shelf and shelf-edge habitats.

A

Figure III.C.3-2.

Top 10 mid-Atlantic (including Chesapeake Bay) commercial fisheries relative importance, in terms of dollar value in 1982.

Figure III.C.3-3. Top 10 mid-Atlantic (including Chesapeake Bay) commercial fisheries relative importance, in terms of pounds landed in

Figure III.C.3-4.

1982 mid-Atlantic commercial fishery landings (including Chesapeake Bay) by State contribution, in terms of volume and value.

Further evidence of the importance of nearshore and coastal fisheries is shown in Figures III.C.3-5 and 6. These data were compiled from catch records from the National Marine Fisheries Service, Northeast Fisheries Center. It represents landings data for the statistical areas of 612 through 639 during the years 1982 and 1983. These data are also given in Table 10 (Appendix G). Analysis of these catch records by statistical area also demonstrates the importance of the nearshore and coastal waters in the mid-Atlantic region.

Major fishing ports in the mid-Atlantic are given in Table III.C.3-2. Major ports are centered in and near the Chesapeake Bay region. The single most important mid-Atlantic fishing port, Cape May-Wildwood, New Jersey ranks 16th on a national basis, in terms of ex-vessel dollar value of the landings in 1982.

Table III.C.3-2. Major Mid-Atlantic Fishing Ports, 1982 Data (USDOC, NMFS, 1983).

Directly linked to the diverse fisheries of the mid-Atlantic region are a wide variety of support services and facilities. This means that a complete evaluation of the mid-Atlantic fisheries must include the multiplier effect of the product. The harvested value of the fish represents only a fraction of the value generated by the industry. This situation was summarized by Briggs et al. (1982): "Economic activity is a complicated web of interdependent behavior. A change in any part of the economy leads to changes elsewhere. Consequently, estimation of the ultimate total impact of a change in marine harvesting or processing requires measurement of the changes that occur elsewhere in the economy. In other words, the economic importance of the fishing industry depends on the relationship of fishing to the rest of the economy.

Estimation of the multiplier effect associated with fishing is most often done by means of input-output analysis. An example for the State of Maine shows that an increase in herring landings by $1.00 leads directly and indirectly to an increase in income in Maine of $0.73, which produces an additional $0.74 as it is spent on consumer items. Therefore, the total impact of herring landings upon income per dollar in the State of Maine is $1.47 (Briggs et al., 1982).

Figure III.C.3-5. Mid-Atlantic landings, in terms of pounds landed.

Data represents means derived by averaging landing values
from the years of 1982 and 1983.

35%