recent investigations into the problems of 

 the New England groundfish industry, and 

 thus operating statements were available 

 for each year through 1957. The decision 

 to investigate ths eight year period rests 

 on the discovery of drastic changes vihich 

 occurred in trawling operations some time 

 during 1953. As a result of these changes, 

 travrler operations of 1953 through 195? 

 are vastly different from those of 1950-52. 

 Therefore an analysis of the differences 

 which exist in the trawler operations of 

 1950-52 and trawler operations in the years 

 since 1953 is perhaps the best approach to 

 a discussion of the current problems of 

 trawlers engaged in groundfish operations 

 from these ports. 



1. Landings, Receipts And Productivity 



It was readily apparent from such a 

 comparison that although in the years since 

 1953 operating losses or dwindling profits 

 have become characteristics of the ground- 

 fish operations of these trawlers, in the 

 years immediately preceeding 1953 their 

 groundfish operations were quite success- 

 ful. In the years 1950-52 average annual 

 operating profits per vessel of the larger 

 150-I99 gross-ton Gloucester and Maine 

 trai'jlers represent an annual return of 7 

 percent and 9.6 percent respectively on 

 the average original vessel cost, whi],e 

 50-75 gI^^ss-ton Maine trawlers returned 11 

 percent per year and Gloucester 125-1U9 

 gross -ton trawlers 9 percent per year on 

 their average original vessel cost, (table 

 V-12). 



Such a comparison further revealed 

 that the principal reason for dwindling 

 profits or mounting losses of present day 

 trawler operations is the much lower dollar 

 productivity of trawler operations in the 

 years since 1953. 



Average landings per-vessel of the 

 150-I99 gross-ton Gloucester and Maine 

 trawlers, during 1953 through 1957, were 

 10 to 30 percent under their average annual 

 landings of 1950-52. At the same time 

 the average prices received by trawler 

 operators during these years were from 8 to 

 18 ipercent under the average prices of 

 1950-52, (table V-13). 



The smaller 50-75 gross-ton Maine 

 trawlers suffered less from a decline in 

 landings. The decline in average landings 



per vessel during 1953-1957 of these 

 trawlers vjas in some years severe: in 

 195ii, average landings were 19 percent be- 

 low those of 1950-52. Yet, in 1953 average 

 landings were only 1.7 percent less than 

 those of 1950-52, and in 1955 average 

 landings were 3.8 percent higher than those 

 of 1950-52. The average price received in 

 1955, however, was 28 percent lower than 

 1950-52, and in 1953 the average price was 

 17 percent lower than 1950-52. 



The largest decrease in landings 

 occurred on 125-1U9 gross-ton Gloucester 

 travjlers in 1957. Average landings per 

 vessel were li2 percent under the average 

 landings of 1950-52 and in all years, 1953 

 through 1957, average landings were at 

 least 25 percent below the levels of 1950- 

 52. At the same time, however, during 

 1953-57 average prices were generally 

 higher by 8 to 33 percent, and in only one 

 year, 1953, was the average price received 

 by 125-1^9 gross-ton Gloucester trawlers 

 below that of 1950-52. 



Average receipts per vessel fell 

 perceptibly in 1953 and have remained at 

 levels substantially below the average 

 annual receipts of 1950-52. From 1953 

 through 1957 average receipts per vessel 

 of both the larger and smaller Gloucester 

 and Maine trawlers were at least 18 per- 

 cent below the level of 1950-52, and at 

 various times during the 1953-57 period 

 average receipts per vessel declined by as 

 much as Uo percent from 1950-52 levels, 

 (table V-lU). 



2. Costs 



While certain costs of trawler oper- 

 ations have increased appreciably in the 

 years since 1953, the share system of wage 

 determination and the discretionary ele- 

 ment of incurring maintenance expenditures 

 for trawler operations have greatly acted 

 as a check upon mounting costs. In fact, 

 the average total^costs per vessel of all 

 classes of Gloucester and Maine tratflers 

 wer^ lower in the years 1953 through 1957 

 than the average annual total costs per 

 vessel of 1950-52. In some instances, the 

 average total costs per vessels of certain 

 classes of trawlers operating from the 

 port of Gloucester declined by 30 percent 

 from the levels of 1950-52, (table V-l5) . 



71 



