c. Gear, Repair, and Maintenance 



Average gear, repair, and maintenance 

 expenditures per vessel show little change 

 during the years 1953 through 1957 and are 

 generally equal to or lov/er than the aver- 

 age gear, repair, and maintenance expendi- 

 tures per vessel of 1950-52, (table V-19) . 

 The average gear, repair and maintenance 

 expenditures of 12^-1^9 gross -ton Glouces- 

 ter travilers during 1953-57 are equal to 

 that of 1950-52 despite an increase in 

 activity of some 6 trips per year during 

 this period. In the years since 1953 the 

 average gear, repair, and maintenance ex- 

 penditures per vessel of Gloucester and 

 I'aine 150-199 gross -ton trawlers were lower 

 than the gear, repair, and maintenance ex- 

 penditures of 1950-52. 



The absences of any increase in gear, 

 repair, and maintenance expenditures at a 

 time of rising costs in Gloucester and 

 Maine repair yards is evidence that trawler 

 operations suffer from undermaintenance 

 which may lead to poor traviling perform- 

 ance, falling receipts, and further under- 

 maintenance. It may also lead to increasiTg 

 insurance expenditures through inadequate 

 safety standards or the terptation to insti- 

 tute insurance claims for repair work which 

 ife a result of normal wear and tear. Either 

 eventuality would result in an increasing 

 loss experience and rising expenditures. 



Summary 



The New England groundfish fleet -is 

 comprised of a heterogeneous group of ves- 

 sels operating from different ports, en- 

 gaging in distinct fisheries, and differ- 

 ing in size, construction, gear, and mana- 

 gerial skills. These and many other fac- 

 tors contribute to a vessel's performance. 

 Moreover, these factors are interrelated 

 and interdependent so that it is difficult 

 to develop generalizations applicable to 

 the entire New England groundfish fleet, 

 despite the fact that certain developments 

 may affect them all. 



Trawler operations in the New England 

 area have been generally highly unprofit- 

 able in the years since 1953. The chief 

 reason for this unprofitability was the 

 level of receipts which prevailed during 

 this tijne . Although certain items of ex- 

 penditui'es were steadily increasing, total 



expenditures changed very little. Falling 

 receipts were met with decreasing total 

 expenditures . 



The much higher level of receipts on 

 the more successful Boston trawler and 

 the low level of receipts of the less 

 successful trawler, 200 gross-tons and 

 larger, were responsible for the profitable 

 operations of the former and the unprofit- 

 able operations of the latter. The total 

 expenditures of the more successful traveler 

 were substantially higher than those of 

 the less successful. 



The low level of receipts of the less 

 successful trawler was a result of its 

 inactivity, its lower per trip pixDductivity, 

 and its lighter landings. 



Admittedly, trawler operations in most 

 instances have also been adversely affected 

 by rising trip expenditures, which are up 

 substantially. The combination of inade- 

 quate receipts and rising trip expendi- 

 tures has had a profound effect on trawler 

 operations in Boston, whore the existence 

 of the broker payment ($12 per day per man) 

 makes all trip expenditures, including 

 wages, highly inflexible at low levels of 

 receipts. As a result, at low levels of 

 receipts vessel owners may discover that 

 after payment of all trip expenditures, 

 including wages, they have little left 

 with which to defray other expenses such 

 as gear, repair, and maintenance. 



In Gloucester and Maine ports, trav/ler 

 operations vere most effected by the sub- 

 stantial reduction in receipts which 

 occurred in 1953 and the low level of re- 

 ceipts which prevailed in the years since 

 1953. Total expenditui'es changed very 

 little during these years. Lighter 

 landings and lower prices were responsible 

 for the sharp reduction in receipts. 



Even in Gloucester, where there is no 

 broker payment, vessel owners found them- 

 selves faced with a reallocation of trip 

 expenditures between crew and vessel, or 

 an entirely new sharing arrangement as a 

 result of falling receipts and rising 

 trip expenditures. They, too, now bear a 

 heavier portion of trip expenditures. 



Insurance expenditures were generally 

 higher in all ports. Rising insurance 



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