A Study of the Socioeconomic Impact of Changes 



in the Harvesting Labor Force in the 



Maine Lobster Industry ^ 



A. M. Huq2 



ABSTRACT 



The basic question of the mobility of the labor force in the Maine lobster fishery 

 is investigated with particular emphasis on the productivity of control groups within a 

 sample and their social, educational, economic, and demographic characteristics. Under 

 various assumptions which would lead to exit from the fishery of these groups certain 

 consequences are enumerated, both with regard to those leaving and those remaining 

 as well as the impact on and role of the local communities involved. A preliminary 

 assessment of the impact of certain types of management programs upon the labor 

 component of the harvesting sector is presented. 



INTRODUCTION 



In any discussion of alternative manage- 

 ment strategies (e.g., limited entry) that might 

 affect the labor force in the lobster fishery 

 in Maine, it is important to examine the socio- 

 economic repercussions of the contemplated 

 change. In some circumstances this may in- 

 volve the dislocation of labor. In this case 

 one must, for example, investigate whether 

 alternative employment would be available 

 to those fishermen who will be excluded be- 

 cause of limited entry; their employability 

 (and trainability) relative to the local labor 

 market, their geographical and occupational 

 mobility patterns, the adaptability of their 

 skills, alternative income earning possibili- 

 ties ("salvage value" of displaced labor), the 

 potential for upgrading their existing skills 

 and for the acquisition of new skills, the 

 barriers to their mobility including sociolog- 

 ical, psychological, and economic variables 

 are some of the crucial elements to be care- 

 fully considered. 



Furthermore, the policy maker has to evalu- 



' This paper is based upon a study sponsored by 

 the National Marine Fisheries Service. In addition to 

 the author, the research team consisted of Harland 

 I. Hasey and Anita Wihry, Research Associates. 



- Director, Manpower Research Project, University 

 of Maine, Orono, Maine. 



ate the potential impact on the local and 

 regional economy in terms of shifts in income 

 and employment and associated fiscal conse- 

 quences including welfare expenditures and 

 changes in tax revenue. Finally, it would be 

 important to examine how limited entry in 

 a given fishery such as the lobster fishery 

 might affect other fisheries such as shrimp 

 and scallop fisheries. In a comprehensive study, 

 all these questions need to be investigated 

 before any definitive conclusions can be reach- 

 ed. However, the present study is of much 

 more limited scope and pertains to only some 

 of these questions bearing on limited entry. 



This study focuses on the possible socio- 

 economic impact of hypothetical reduction in 

 the harvesting labor force in the Maine lobster 

 fishery. As to how this reduction is or can be 

 brought about is outside the scope of the 

 study. The study utilizes the data obtained 

 from a sample survey of 131 fi-shermen from 

 three selected communities. The problem posed 

 for investigation was simply this: if a group 

 of fishermen from this sample is excluded 

 from lobster fishing based on some specified 

 criterion, what sort of socioeconomic impact 

 can be expected: Can certain indicators be 

 developed to measure such impact in order to 

 consider alternative management strategies? 

 For this purpose, it was considered desirable 

 to (a) introduce the notion of a target group 

 composed of fishermen regarded as candidates 

 for limited entry and (b) to develop alternative 



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