New England Fishery Revenue Edges Up
continued from July 2016 Homepage
Atlantic herring contributed the most to landings in the region, averaging 190 million pounds from 2005 to 2014. Herring had the lowest average annual ex-vessel price per pound from 2005 to 2014, of 19 cents. Fishermen’s Voice photo
• Twelve stocks were listed as overfished in 2014: two stocks of Atlantic cod, Atlantic halibut, Atlantic salmon, Atlantic wolffish, ocean pout, thorny skate, windowpane flounder, winter flounder, witch flounder and two stocks of yellowtail flounder.
• In 2014, fishermen landed 643 million pounds of finfish and shellfish, earning $1.2 billion in landings revenue. Lobster ($564 million) and scallop ($298 million) dominated revenue, commanding average ex-vessel prices of $3.83 and $12.68 per pound, respectively. Although making up 72 percent of landings revenue, they represented only 27 percent of New England landings.
• The seafood industry generated $8 billion in sales impacts in Massachusetts, $2.3 billion in Maine, $1.6 billion in New Hampshire, $1.1 billion in Rhode Island, and $429 million in Connecticut. Maine generated the second highest economic impacts, with 41,000 jobs, $756 million income and $1.1 billion in value-added impacts.
• The retail sector generated 59,000 jobs in Massachusetts and 18,000 jobs in Maine. The harvest sector also generated 18,000 jobs in Maine.
• Shellfish landings revenue totaled $1 billion, a 31 percent increase (an 11 percent
increase in real terms) from 2005 and a 5 percent increase from 2013. Shellfish landings revenue was greatest in Maine ($497 million) and Massachusetts ($420 million). Finfish landings revenue totaled $196 million, a 2 percent decrease (a 17 percent decrease in real terms) from 2005 to 2014 and a 4 percent decrease from 2013. Finfish revenue was highest in Massachusetts ($105 million).
• Between 2005 and 2014, the landings revenue of lobster increased 38 percent (a 17 percent increase in real terms), while landings revenue of sea scallop increased 19 percent (a 1 percent increase in real terms). In both nominal and real terms (after adjusting for inflation), lobster revenues achieved a record high since reporting began in 1950 due to continued record-high landings and higher prices (up 23 percent in 2014 compared with 2013). The surge in lobster landings increases are largely driven by record high stock abundance and recruitment levels in the Gulf of Maine, which has made up roughly 85 percent of fishery landings in recent years. In contrast, landings revenue of sea scallop decreased 19 percent from 2013 to 2014 despite the fact that its price increased 11 percent.
• Fishermen in New England landed 643 million pounds of finfish and shellfish in 2014. This figure was a 6 percent decrease from 2005 and a 1 percent increase from 2013. From 2013 to 2014, finfish landings increased 6 percent, while shellfish landings decreased 4 percent from 2013 levels.
• Atlantic herring had the highest annual landings (199 million pounds) in New England in 2014. From 2005 to 2014, landings of lobster (71%), Atlantic mackerel (57%), and quahogs (48%) increased significantly.
Fishermen in New England landed 643 million pounds of finfish and shellfish in 2014. This figure was a 6 percent decrease from 2005 and a 1 percent increase from 2013. From 2013 to 2014, finfish landings increased 6 percent, while shellfish landings decreased 4 percent from 2013 levels. Fishermen’s Voice photo
• Species or species groups with large decreases in landings during this period included goosefish (-58%), cod and haddock (-50%), flounders (-50%), and scallop (-27%). The declines in cod and haddock landings were driven by a 77 percent reduction in the Gulf of Maine cod quota from 2012 levels that was intended to reduce harvest and protect spawning stock. These measures were deemed necessary following the 2014 stock assessment that found Gulf of Maine cod to be severely depleted at just 3 to 4 percent of a sustainable abundance level. Scallop landings declined over this 10-year period primarily due to a 35 percent reduction in the catch limit that was implemented in 2012 to protect young sea scallops and prevent localized overfishing.
• Species with large increases in landings between 2013 and 2014 include squid (97%), bluefin tuna (86%), cod and haddock (68%), and Atlantic mackerel (43%). Cod and haddock landing gains were driven strictly by haddock, which increased 143 percent; 2014 cod landings increased 4 percent compared with 2013 levels.
• In 2014, almost 1.2 million recreational anglers took 6.7 million fishing trips in New England . Residents of New England made up 92 percent of these anglers. The most frequently caught species included porgies (scup) and Atlantic mackerel.