4.5.2 NMFS Ports Agents Report 



In the NMFS Northeast Region those who are in daily contact with the 

 commercial fishing industry are assessing and documenting the impact of the 

 Avgo Merchant oil spill on the day-to-day activities of the commercial 

 fishermen through a series of weekly reports to the regional director. 



In New England approximately 900 direct interviews were conducted during 

 a total of 4000 fishing trips between December 21 and January 30, at the 

 ports of Portland, Rockland, Gloucester, Boston, and New Bedford, Massachu- 

 setts; and Newport and Point Judith, Rhode Island. Only 26 of the interviews 

 indicated an impact of the spilled oil. Five reports indicated direct loss 

 of catch or fouling or loss of gear, while the other 21 reported "oily" 

 birds. All of these incidents occurred in the area to the southeast of the 

 site of the Avgo Merahant and were reported by a single division of the NMFS 

 Northeast Region. 



The following specific problems were reported: 



1. A scalloper, fishing very near the wreck area, had his catch and 

 gear fouled by an oil slick; the catch from that tow was discarded 

 as unmarketable. 



2. Captains of two vessels, fishing American lobster on the edge of 

 the Continental Shelf, believe that oil fouling of inflatable buoys 

 caused a deterioration of air valves, resulting in a loss of these 

 buoys and consequently the gear they marked. The crew's clothing 

 became fouled during handling of the gear. One lobster fishing 

 vessel had its gear net in the immediate area of the oil drift and, 

 as a result, had to change over the water circulation system from a 

 continuous to a closed one, i.e., instead of taking in water from 

 the area of the oil drift and and contaminating the catch, water 

 from a clean area was used and circulated within the vessel's 

 holding system. 



3. Two vessels fishing lobster reported fouled pots, gear, and cloth- 

 ing. Caution had to be taken in removing the lobsters from the 

 contaminated gear. 



Other divisions of the Northeast Region filed negative reports. 



The collection of data on the oil spill and its effects is, and will be, 

 an ongoing program for all NMFS field employees in the region. 



123 



