Part
2, Sec. 2C3
Human Activities
- Recreational Boating/Tourism
Recreational
and tourism activities directly involving waters around Stellwagen
Bank include privately-owned boats engaged primarily in fishing
or whalewatching/birdwatching activities. While participation
in these activities is high, there are no precisely comprehensive
figures indicating levels of participation and revenues generated
from these activities. However, some discussion of statewide
data provides a general, if unspecified, picture of the extent
of recreational activities in the Stellwagen Bank area. During
1985, tourists visiting Barnstable County (Cape Cod) spent over
$1.1 billion, representing about 17.5% of all tourist expenditures
in Massachusetts for that year. (Greenbaum and O'Donnell, 1987).
With
regard to recreational fishing, a total of 790,000 saltwater
anglers fished during 596,644 angler days in Massachusetts during
1987, spending approximately $803 million in related sales.
(Hart, 1989; NMFS, 1988b). These figures include shore fishing
(i.e., from beaches, banks, jetties, piers, docks, and bridges),
and boat fishing (i.e., from private rental, charter, or party
boats). Cape Cod generally is a primary tourist area during
summer months, and many of its visitors, as well as residents,
participate in both shore-based and boat-based recreational
fishing.
Most
recreational fishing within the North Atlantic (New England)
area occurs in inland waters (e.g., sounds, inlets, tidal portions
of rivers, bays, estuaries, and other areas of salt of brackish
water), or within the territorial limit (i.e., within three
miles of shore). Throughout the North Atlantic area generally,
the majority of recreational fishing, regardless of the area
fished, is conducted from private or rental boats. (Essig, et
al., 1991).
In
waters beyond the three-mile limit, which would include Stellwagen
Bank, the total number of fish caught by the recreational fishery
varies considerably from year to year, although generally the
majority caught from year to year are from the same several
species groups.
Table
6: Total Number of Fish Caught in North Atlantic Recreational
Fishery Beyond Three-Mile Jurisdiction (In Thousands): 1987-1989
1987
1988 1989
9,161 7,430 3,397
The
most prevalent species groups caught in the North Atlantic recreational
fishery in waters beyond the three-mile jurisdictional limit
for the same years are indicated as follows (compiled from Essig
1991):
1987
Species Group / Total Fish Caught (x 1,000)
Scup 2,863
Bluefish 1,486
Atlantic Cod 1,461
Winter Flounder 1,057
Atlantic Mackerel 381
Pollock 371
Tautog 317
1988
Species Groups / Total Fish Caught (x 1,000)
Atlantic Mackerel 2,325
Atlantic Cod 1,704
Bluefish 803
Scup 546
Dogfish Sharks 500
Winter Flounder 139
Summer Flounder 125
1989
Species Groups Total Fish Caught (x 1,000)
Atlantic Cod 1,217
Bluefish 529
Pollock 370
Atlantic Mackerel 349
Scup 314
Dogfish Sharks 262
As
previously discussed, it appears that existing NMFS whalewatch
guidelines for the Gulf of Maine are generally followed by commercial
whalewatch vessel operators. However, there are at least occasional,
albeit largely unconfirmed reports of whale harassment and collisions
with smaller, non-commercial vessels, such as those used for
recreational fishing and/or whalewatching activities. Evidence
of these incidents is in large part supported by photographs
of cuts and scars on the backs, flukes, and fins of cetaceans,
which have been identified as likely resulting from collisions
with smaller (i.e., less than 50 feet) vessels. (Center for
Coastal Studies, 1991).
NMFS
is developing proposed national whalewatch regulations, which
would be applicable to all vessels (regardless of their commercial
or non-commercial status). It is anticipated that these proposed
regulations will be published for public review and comment
during 1992. Presently, however, the Gulf of Maine whalewatch
guidelines issued by NMFS in 1985 remain in effect, but are
not enforceable as law.
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