114 



Morse, N. H. 



1971. 



An economic study of the oyster fishery of the Maritime 



Provinces. 



Fish. Res. Board Can., Bull. 175, 81 pp. 



The fishery is characterized by low productivity, low investment 



per firm (low capital to labor ratio), slow adoption of 



mechanized harvesting technology and certain other problems, but 



the most critical problem relates to the economic provision and 



use of seed oysters, such as via hatcheries. The industry's 



development and institutional setting is analyzed. Policy 



options appear to lie between "support of numerous small oyster 



producers and opening the oyster areas to the highest bidders who 



probably would develop the largest and strongest industry with 



the minimum of public assistance." Some cost estimates are 



presented. Based upon a 1966 survey, output (both maricet and 



seed oysters) , number of enterprises, number of leasehold 



enterprises, investment, net income and other information is 



provided. While there is some analysis of supply and demand, 



lack "of adeguate guantitative data has made it impossible to 



arrive at answers to many relevant guestions." 



Subject descriptors: 



Oysters; Canada; costs; survey data. 



115 



Pesson, L. L. 

 1974. 



The coastal fisherman of Louisiana: their characteristics, 

 attitudes, practices, and responsiveness to change. 

 LSU, Cent. Agri. Sci. Rural Dev., Coop. Ext. Serv., Sea Grant 

 04-3-1518-19, 60 pp. 



There were 16 oyster farmers in the stratified random sample of 

 500 (7% sample) Louisiana coastal parish fishermen. The 467 

 usable schedules were obtained in August 1972 to April 1973. The 

 report's eight sections deal with respondent characteristics; 

 fishing operations; opinions, attitudes, and problems; knowledge 

 of and contact with Cooperative Extension; usage, opinion, and 

 source of new ideas; leadership and participation patterns; 

 shrimping practices, and other fishing practices. By comparison, 

 oysterers have large operations (p. 54). Sample percentage 

 distribution data are given for method (75%, dredges) , type and 

 size of boat, number of crew, acreage cultivated (under 200 

 acres, 38%; 200-400 acres, 24%; over 400 acres, 38%), acreage 

 planted in past year, problems, harvest last year, and time 

 commitment (73%, part-time) . Generally, coastal fishermen tend 

 to be middle-aged, have a low level of education, live in a rural 

 area, value self-reliance, and have a pattern of change 

 indicating normal adoptive behavior. 

 Subject descriptors: 

 Oysters; socio-economic data; survey data; technigues. 



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