160 



One of the most significant features shown in this table is that earn- 

 ings per fisherman from shellfish changed only slightly from 1939 to 

 1965, while earnings from finfish increased six times, all during a 

 period when shellfish prices increased much more than finfish prices. 

 This suggests that the shellfishery in Narragansett Bay is unable to 

 compete economically with the finfishery and that it may be declining 

 as a significant resource use, 



DEFENSE ESTABLISHMENTS 



One of the oldest uses of Narragansett Bay, and certainly the most 

 important today from the point of expenditures, is the role of the bay 

 in the National Military Establishments. The strategic location and ex- 

 cellent harbor led to its early use as a base for naval operations, and, 

 with accommodation to the changes and innovations of modern war- 

 fare, so it remains today. Located at Newport, where important fleet 

 units and academic activities are based, and at Quonset Point (North 

 Kingstown), the U.S. Navy in Rhode Island is the largest single em- 

 ployer in the State and produces the highest level of dollar output 

 directly attributable to the bay. 



About 90 percent of the U.S. Navy expenditures in the Narragansett 

 Bay area are paid as wages and salaries to civilian and military per- 

 sonnel. Substantial sums are also expended annually on contract con- 

 struction, maintenance and repair, utilities and purchases from local 

 merchants. Finally, direct payments are made by the Federal Govern- 

 ment (in lieu of taxes) to school districts enrolling children of mili- 

 tary personnel. 



Table IV.3.8 shows the contribution of the Naval Establishment to 

 the bay economy and the growth of this contribution between 1963 

 and 1967. 



In spite of the size of the Navy operation, there are only two areas 

 of conflict between the military and other bay uses. These are problems 

 created by sewage disposal and problems from oil pollution. The shore 

 installations of the Navy in Narra^^ansett Bay are either served by 

 sewage disposal facilities on a par with those in the surrounding com- 

 munities or share, on a user-charge basis, with surrounding commu- 

 nities in disposal facilities which meet the approval of the Rhode Is- 

 land State Board of Health. The sewage pollution problems that do 

 exist are associated with the discharge of untreated wastes from ocean- 

 going vessels. The bay is home port for about 70 oceangoing vessels 

 and numerous other smaller craft. Few vessels have sewage treatment 

 facilities abroad. 



TABLE IV.3.8.— SPENDING BY THE U.S. NAVY IN THE NARRAGANSETT BAY, RHODE ISLAND AREA, 1963-67 



Years 

 Item 1963 1967 



Wages and salaries to civilian and military personnel* -. '^'n'c?e'EK7 



Local purchases of goods and services 2 - c ic» cn9 



Contractual construction .-. _. --- -- 5,163,502 



Maintenance and repair and utilities 3.. - - o"oco -ion 



Federal aid to impacted school districts in Rhode Island*.. -. 2,853,720 



Total - - $124,240,000 215,808,384 



1 May be somewhat inflated because 1967 report does not separate fleet military personnel who may have been paid 

 elsewhere. Sum also includes allowance to dependents. 



2 Includes only those sums specifically mentioned as being spent locally. 



3 Based on contracts awarded during the year, estimating most or all small maintenance and report contracts. All assumed 

 to be with local contractors. 



< School year 1967-68. 



