Sport fishing, hunting, and trapping . The magnitude and value of sport 

 fishing and hunting are difficult to assess in coastal Maine, as hunting 

 harvest data specific to the characterization area are not collected and no 

 data on sport fishing are available. 



A total of 231,542 hunting licenses were purchased in Maine in 1978. 

 Approximately 198,000 of these were sold to residents. No information is 

 available on the number of hunters utilizing the coastal zone. Information on 

 harvest of the game species of mammals is presented in chapter 17, 

 "Terrestrial Mammals." 



Duck stamps are required of all waterfowl hunters over 16 years of age. 

 Current duck stamp sales in Maine average near 18,000. Another 1800 to 2500 

 persons under 16 also hunt ducks, which brings the total to 20,000 duck 

 hunters. The total recreation days enjoyed by waterfowl hunters approximates 

 100,000 annually in Maine. More than 75% of the annual harvest of waterfowl 

 in Maine occurs in the coastal counties. In coastal Maine, waterfowl hunters 

 generate about $2.75 million annually. Waterfowl harvest data in coastal 

 Maine are presented in chapter 15, "Waterfowl." 



Statistics on salt water sport fishing are extremely difficult to obtain, as 

 no Federal or State licensing is required for this activity. According to the 

 Maine Department of Transportation (1977), a significant recreational fishery 

 exists in the Maine coastal zone. Twenty-seven vessels are registered as 

 carrying passengers for purposes such as saltwater sport fishing. These are 

 located primarily in Portland (region 1), Boothbay Harbor (region 2), Bar 

 Harbor (region 5), and Eastport (region 6). A much larger number of persons 

 fish from small private boats and bridges during times of active runs of 

 mackerel and bluefish. 



During the period from 1968 to 1971, an average of 240,512 fishing licenses 

 were purchased in Maine, 145,678 of which were resident licenses. The 

 Atlantic salmon fishery, one of the most valuable in Maine, was nearly 

 destroyed in the recent past but is now being restored in a number of coastal 

 rivers (see chapter 11, "Fishes"). 



Approximately 4200 recreational trapping licenses were purchased in the State 

 in 1978. Information on the harvesting of the furbearer species in the 

 coastal zone is presented in chapter 17, "Terrestrial Mammals." 



Economy . Employment figures (Maine State Planning Office 1978) record 

 only employees covered under the Federal Insurance Compensation Act. Because 

 of the provisions of this Act, fishery and agricultural employees are 

 underestimated and self-employed individuals are not included in the figures. 



The earliest period of Maine's economy, beginning in 1600, was closely tied to 

 the development of natural resources, both for subsistence agriculture and 

 fishing, and, more importantly, for the export of raw resources of timber, 

 fur, and fish. Fish was the major export in the 17th century, followed by 

 white pine lumber for spars and masts for the Royal Navy. These uses of 

 natural resources paved the way for the subsequent development of industry, 

 when another coastal Maine resource, falling water, was harnessed during the 

 industrial revolution to provide inexpensive energy. 



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