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2009 NC Recreational Coastal Waters Guide
Hello from Topsail Beach! Beautiful day! Sunny with a little breeze. Below is a NCDMF survey study I found interesting.
STUDY FINDS DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN OCEAN AND ESTUARINE FISHERMEN
MOREHEAD CITY – Commercial fishermen that work in the Atlantic Ocean tend to make more money and express more optimism about the future of the industry than their estuarine counterparts, according to an economic analysis of a survey by the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries.
Although 29 percent of the fishermen in this study reported breaking even or losing money in the previous fishing year, 20 percent made more than $30,000.
“While a $30,000 annual income is no fortune in today’s economy, it is higher than was seen in previous surveys of estuarine fisheries in Albemarle, Pamlico and Core sounds,” said Scott Crosson, the division’s Socio-Economics program manager.
A few, 4 percent, reported fishing income in excess of $75,000 per year.
Consequently, the number of active oceangoing fishermen has increased while the overall number of active commercial fishermen has declined in the past decade, and 58 percent of those surveyed said they expect to still be commercial fishing in 10 years.
The study surveyed 177 North Carolina commercial fishermen who reported landing at least $1,000 worth of seafood from the ocean in 2007. Fishermen were asked various questions concerning demographics and their perceptions of the fishing industry.
The survey found that fishermen who work in the Atlantic Ocean were the most diverse group of commercial fishermen surveyed to date, but also the most specialized, focusing on one type of fishery. Estuarine fishermen in North Carolina often move between different fisheries throughout the year. Oceangoing fishermen also own fewer, but more valuable boats.
When asked their level of concern on a variety of issues impacting commercial fishermen, the oceangoing sector ranked fuel prices at the top of the list. The same was true for the estuarine fisheries surveyed in the past several years. The survey was administered in the summer of 2008, when fuel prices exceeded $4 per gallon. Inability to predict the business future ranked second, followed by development on the coast, weather and loss of working waterfronts.
A copy of the economic analysis can be downloaded on the division Web site at
http://www.ncdmf.net/download/2009AtlanticOceanReportCrosson.pdf.
For more information, contact Crosson at (252) 808-8107 or Scott.Crosson@ncdenr.gov.
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nr-25-09
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