3o 2 What is the capacity of the fishery to satisfy the public demand? 



As stated earlier, the commercial fishery in 1974 was supplying 

 only a small percent of the large (96 million pounds) demand for commercial fishery 

 products in the study area. It is apparent that the Sound will not be able to 

 raise production to anywhere near the current level of demand, much less meet 

 the rising demands of the future. From a fundamental point of efficiency, 

 therefore, most of the area's commercial demand will continue to be satisfied 

 by import. Whatever the Sound can produce at competitive prices will have a 

 local marketo 



For the sport fishery, however, demand- supply relationships are 

 more meaningful. Although it is possible for the wealthier fisherman to move 

 to distant waters, most sport fishing demands must be met in local waters. 

 Since Table 3 showed that almost all of the sport fishing demand was for salt- 

 water finfishing, only that activity will be pursued further in this considera- 

 tion of demand and supply. Boats, docks, channels, water space, and additional 

 shoreline access will be needed to meet the demand of the salt-water fisherman. 



Table 4 defines the sport fish species, assumes a quality exper- 

 ience (which varies with the fishery and the fisherman), estimates the available 

 supply if the commercial catch remains at its 1970 level, and shows the defi- 

 ciencies (needs) in the future. 



Although the needs in Table 4 are based on estimates of the number 

 of fishermen presently utilizing the Sound, it must be emphasized that these 

 figures are purely estimates based on the best available information. The most 

 significant limiting factor, however, is the size of the fish populations, and 

 further research is needed to adequately assess the impacts of recreational 

 fishing in the future. For good sport fishing management, it will be necessary 

 to increase biological knowledge in the following areas: 



(a) the number of fishermen utilizing the Sound 



(b) data on standing crop, recruitment, growth, total 

 mortality and catch and effort relationships for 

 finfish and shellfish populations of the Sound, 



(c) intra- and inter-Sound raigrational habits and 

 movements of fish 



(d) areas potentially valuable for artificial reefs, 

 piers, or artificial islands 



(e) methods for maintaining an annual optimum 

 standing crop of sport fish 



(f) factors which limit the fishery (i.e,, water 

 pollution, thermal addition, impoundments) 



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