462 



Louisiana in particular, that there seems to be a much greater rap- 

 port between the fishing community and the oil community in Lou- 

 isiana than there is in Georges Bank? 



Mr. CosTAKES. Well, I don't know 



Mr. D' Amours. You mentioned risk, for instance. 



Mr. CosTAKES. The risks are tremendous. I don't see where we 

 don't cooperate. We are doing the seismic expeditions offshore 

 here — I was instrumental in getting people onboard those vessels, 

 local fishermen, to contact through radio or other means areas 

 where they were going to be towing that long cable, mile and a half 

 cable. 



We had a lot of problems at that time because some of the fisher- 

 men were picking up these little seismic cables, and then when you 

 came to ask who owns this large cable, everyone seems to say it is 

 not mine. We have been on the phone to several oil companies 

 trying to find out who it belonged to. Through a lot of arm-twisting 

 I finally found out who they are. 



It seems like it is one of those things where we always seem to be 

 in a position, the so-called seismic vessels are on a leased basis, and 

 they are not under the oil company's control. So if you go to the oil 

 company and say, hey, I have a problem, they will say, it is not my 

 problem, it is the seismic vessel's problem. 



With that kind of animosity starting off, with these things hap- 

 pening, it is not too easy to say, come on, guys, do whatever you 

 want, and have that great rapport. 



Mr. D' Amours. Is there any basic difference between the fisher- 

 ies in the gulf and the fisheries in Georges Bank, in terms of the 

 quality of fish, for instance? 



Mr. CosTAKES. Well, as we all know, Georges is the richest bank 

 in the world, and the reason in part is because of the superior qual- 

 ity of the product. I am not sure if I can answer that question in 

 terms of value. But in value, like I just indicated to you now, like 

 New Bedford, for instance, and New England is probably the third 

 largest in the Nation. 



Mr. D' Amours. What determines the difference in value? 



Mr. CosTAKES. Well, the quality of the product. Like down 

 around the gulf there is a lot of nonedible product that is put into 

 cat foods and other products like that. 



Mr. D' Amours. You mean 



Mr. CosTAKES. It is all a food fish in Georges. As a matter of fact, 

 there was a huge cat food plant in New Bedford several years ago, 

 and they moved down to Mississippi and Alabama, somewhere in 

 that area. 



Mr. D' Amours. One of the differences in the values of the fish is 

 that in the gulf they catch fish, a lot of the fish they catch are not 

 for human consumption? 



Mr. CosTAKES. That is right. 



Mr. D' Amours. And that brings a lower price? 



Mr. CosTAKES. Yes. 



Mr. D'Amours. While they may catch more fish, the fish are not 

 necessarily as valuble, and not necessarily for human consumption. 

 Did I hear you say in the Georges Bank area it is all for human 

 consumption? 



Mr. CosTAKES. Yes. 



