SECTION 2 

 NEW ENGLAND FISHERIES 



In 1975, commercial fishermen of the New England States (Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, 

 Rhode Island, and Connecticut) landed 498.4 million pounds of fish and shellfish worth a record $154.1 million. 

 This was a decline of 24.1 million pounds (5 percent), but an increase of $29.8 million (24 percent) compared 

 with 1974. Landings of yellowtail flounder, ocean perch, menhaden, shrimp, and species used for bait or 

 reduction were significantly less. Species with important increases in landings were alewives, haddocl<, sea 

 herring, whiting, American lobsters, and sea scallops. 



Compared with 1974, landings in New Hampshire and Massachusetts increased slightly, but landings 

 in the other States declined. Massachusetts led all States in volume with 273.8 million pounds (55 percent); 

 followed by Maine, 138.4 million pounds (28 percent); and Rhode Island, 79.5 million pounds (16 percent). 

 Connecticut with 3.7 million pounds and New Hampshire with 3.1 million pounds accounted for 1 percent. The 

 value of landings increased in all States except Connecticut. Massachusetts led in value with $82.9 million 

 (54 percent), Maine was second with $48.5 million (31 percent), followed by Rhode Island, $18.9 million (12 

 percent). New Hampshire with $1.3 million and Connecticut with $2.6 million accounted for the rest. 



Fishermen and vesse ls. The New England fisheries had 31,685 full-time and part-time fishermen using 770 

 vessels (5 net tons or more), 15,499 motorboats, and 269 other craft. This was an increase of 2,274 fishermen, 

 37 vessels, 1,087 motorboats, and 78 other boats over 1974. 



Processed products . The value of processed seafood items was a record $391.7 million— $32.2 million more 

 than in 1974 and $20.9 million more than the record value in 1973. Massachusetts led with products valued at 

 $263.3 million, foUowed by Maine with $91.1; New Hampshire, $32.7; Rhode Island, $3.9 million, and 

 Connecticut, $700,000. 



New England Fisheries Development Program . This NMFS program was implemented late in 1973 to use 

 fish and shellfish that were marketed infrequently or discarded at sea by fishermen. It is felt that use of 

 these fish would be substantially profitable and at the same time would enable heavily fished species to be 

 conserved. Use of squid, red crab, ocean quahog, sea mussels, and sand dabs among others has been studied, 

 and plans have been made for marketing them. Squid may prove to be the most feasible of this group, 

 because it is very abundant both on the inshore grounds and offshore grounds during certain seasons. Foreign 

 fleets have caught large quantities of squid in the deeper waters off southern New England and the Middle 

 Atlantic. 



International Commission for the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries (ICNAF) . The 25th Annual Meeting of 

 ICNAF was held in Edinburgh, Scotland, in June 1975; 175 members attended from all 17 member countries. 

 The main purpose of the meeting was to establish national quotas for 1976 for the major fish stocks in the 

 Northwest Atlantic and to consider improvements to existing regulations relating to the management of fish 

 stocks in the joint enforcement scheme. 



Final regulations for 1975 covering fishing on the high seas in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean north 

 of Cape Hatteras became effective in May 1975. The regulations contained provisions for quotas, licensing of 

 fishing vessels, record keeping (logs), and size limitations on certain species of fish. 



Catch and effort data as well as length and age frequency samples for major species were collected 

 from the commercial fishing fleet for research programs in the ICNAF areas. Groundfish surveys were 

 carried out in the spring and fall in cooperation with other countries. Data on catch of all species, age and 

 length-frequency samples, hydrographic observations, and plankton samples were routinely taken for about 

 300 stations. 



American lobster . Landings were 28.5 million pounds valued at a record $48.1 million to the fishermen 

 compared with the 1974 landings of 26.3 million valued at $39.4 million. In Maine, the principal producing 

 area, landings of 17.0 million pounds were 550,000 pounds more than in 1974. In Massachusetts landings of 6.7 

 million pounds increased 28 percent and were the second highest on record. The American lobster accounted 

 for 31 percent of the value of all landings in New England making it the area's most valuable species. 



The inshore pot catch (from to 12 miles) accounted for 83 percent of the lobster catch; the rest 

 was taken by offshore draggers and offshore pot boats. Lobster draggers work seasonally, but much of their 

 catch is incidental to finfishing. 



