ECONOMIC SURVEY OF THE U.S. FISHERIES 



IN THE PASSAMAQUODDY 



REGION, 1956-57 



by 



Giulio PontecoiTO 



Assistant Professor 



Center for Economics Research 



Bowdoin College 



Brunswick, Maine 



and 



Leslie W. Scattergood^ 



Fishery Research Biologist 



Bureau of Commercial Fisheries 



U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 



Boothbay Harbor, Maine 



ABSTRACT 



The proposed Passamaquoddy Project would be built in an area important for its 

 fisheries. An economic survey of the primary and secondary fisheries of the area has 

 been made. In the primary fishery, the herring was most important; clams and 

 scallops were quite valuable; groundfish, anadromous and catadromous fish, and 

 lobsters were of minor importance. Average value of herring landings in 1948-57 was 

 $102,000; clams, $60,000; scallops, $15,000; and the remaining species all less than 

 $5,000. In the Project area 24 weirs, 7 stop seiners, and 16 carriers operated. 

 Detailed information on investments, operating costs, and profits is presented. The 

 secondary survey covered the herring processing industry whose 28 plants manu- 

 factured $11 million worth of products. 



INTRODUCTION 



The proposed Passamaquoddy Project would 

 result in the formation of two impoundments, 

 the high and low pools, both of which lie in an 

 important commercial fishing area. The high 

 pool includes the western sides of the St. Croix 

 River estuary and Passamaquoddy Bay, to- 

 gether with the shores and waters of the east 

 side of Moose Island, while the low pool con- 

 sists of Cobscook Bay and the shores and 

 waters to West Quoddy Head (fig. 1). 



1 Now Chief, Branch of Reports, Washington, D.C. 



The Passamaquoddy studies carried on under 

 the auspices of the International Passama- 

 quoddy Fisheries Board have been aimed 

 towards learning the possible effects of the 

 proposed dams on the fisheries of the area. 

 This report gives information on the value of 

 the U.S. Passamaquoddy region fisheries and 

 provides a basis for evaluating the economic 

 impact of any change in the primary and 

 secondary fisheries. 



The economic survey of the fisheries of the 

 Maine area of the Passamaquoddy Project 

 covered both the primary and secondary 



1 - 



