However, as the oil concentrations in the water column quickly dropped to 

 essentially background levels, this concern seems unfounded. 



In light of these considerations, two separate but related activities 

 are underway to assess the impact of the spill on the local fishing activ- 

 ities. The first is a survey being conducted by the fishermen themselves; 

 the second is documentation of the impact by the port agents of NOAA's Na- 

 tional Marine Fisheries Service. Both of these studies are just beginning, 

 and no conclusions have yet been drawn. 



4.5.1 F i shermen ' s S urvey 



In order to assess the effects of oil on the fishing grounds, the Cape 

 Cod Commercial Fishermen's Coalition has developed a short, one-page form 

 that can be filled out by vessel operators when they are fishing offshore 

 (Figure 4-9) . Although the data developed will be rough, nonscientif ic in a 

 traditional sense, and limited to areas where fish are sought, the informa- 

 tion should over a time of several weeks apply to all of Georges Bank and the 

 surrounding waters. The form is kept simple in order to respect the compet- 

 ing time demands upon the fishermen; it merely requests information on loca- 

 tion, type of fishery, time of day, date, tide, and weather conditions, and 

 any comments concerning evidence, or lack of evidence, of oil. 



The form is currently being distributed to fishermen in Gloucester, 

 Boston, New Bedford, Point Judith, Cape Cod, and elsewhere along the coasts 

 of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. At the moment the following groups are 

 participating and coordinating this effort: The Cape Cod Commercial Fisher- 

 men's Coalition, the Massachusetts Inshore Draggers Association, the Atlantic 

 Offshore Fish and Lobster Association, the Gloucester Fishermen's Wives 

 Association, and the New England Marine Industries Council. The forms are 

 being collected by these groups and held, pending choice of agencies and 

 organizations likely to be interested in the data. 



The action being taken by the fishermen is at their own initiative and 

 at their own cost, and represents in some degree the interest expressed in 

 assisting others in the research effort. The information obtained with the 

 forms will require initial evaluation and interpretation by the fishermen, 

 but will represent an enormous amount of raw data that must eventually be 

 coordinated and incorporated with other research efforts. Successful and 

 widespread use of these data will go far toward development of a widespread 

 and common data base that will be useful both to operating fishermen and, 

 eventually, to those involved in environmental assessment. New stock 

 assessments may be required, a critical need given imminent extension of 

 jurisdiction on March 1, 1977. Interpretation and summary of the data will 

 require the expertise of individuals most familiar with the fisheries in 

 question, and of fishing vessel operators. Two joint seminars are to be held 

 in February and March 1977 by fishermen and scientists to further refine the 

 results in terms of common understanding and future research programs. At the 

 time of writing, few forms have been returned and analysis has not begun. 



12] 



