**REPORT TITLE:** A Socio-Economic and Environmental Inventory of the
North Atlantic Region,

Including the Outer Continental Shelf and Adjacent Waters from Sandy
Hook to Bay of Fundy. Vol. II, Socio-Economic Inventory.

**STUDY TITLE:** Socioeconomic and Environmental Factors Relating to the
Area Adjacent to and

Including the OCS from Sandy Hook, New Jersey to the Bay of Fundy.

CONTRACT NUMBER(S): BLM: CT3-08.

SPONSORING OCS REGION: Washington.

APPLICABLE PLANNING AREA(S): North Atlantic.

FISCAL YEAR(S) OF PROJECT FUNDING: 1973; 1975.

COMPLETION DATE OF REPORT: November 1974.

COST(S): FY 1973: \$180,974; FY 1975: \$20,850; CUMULATIVE PROJECT COST:
\$201,824.

PROJECT MANAGER(S): E. Shenton.

AFFILIATION: The Research Institute of the Gulf of Maine.

ADDRESS: Box 2320, South Portland, Maine 04106.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR(S)\*: T. Grigalunas, R. Harvey, W. MacDonald, K.
McConnell, J. McFarland, C. Veazie, G. Visgilio.

KEY WORDS: North Atlantic; Mid-Atlantic; baseline; synthesis;
socioeconomics; demographics; human population; recreation;
transportation; commercial fishing; recreational fishing; fishing
economics; literature review; data deficiencies; geology; physical
oceanography; chemical oceanography; meteorology; zooplankton;
phytoplankton; invertebrates; benthos; fish; birds; marine mammals;
coastal zone; Maine; New Hampshire; Massachusetts; Rhode Island;
Connecticut; New York; New Jersey; Headquarters.

ACCESS NUMBER: CT3-08

**BACKGROUND:** The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) of the U.S. has proven
to be a significant source of oil and natural gas, particularly in the
waters of the Gulf of Mexico and offshore California. In the early
1970s, interest focused on the frontier areas off the coasts of New
England and the Mid-Atlantic region. In order to adequately assess the
potential impacts on the environmental and socio-economic environment of
the North Atlantic OCS and adjacent coastal zone, a comprehensive
description and summarization of existing data was necessary.

**OBJECTIVES:** (1) To develop a comprehensive inventory of marine
environmental data for the coastal zone and adjacent waters of the North
Atlantic OCS between Bay of Fundy and Sandy Hook, New Jersey; (2) To
conduct a study of the socio-economic factors operating in the region
from Bay of Fundy (i.e., Eastport, Maine) to Sandy Hook; (3) To compile
environmental and socio-economic data into a comprehensive summary to be
used in the preparation of environmental impact assessments which
evaluate the development of offshore energy resources; (4) To define the
informational gaps and deficiencies that exist as a preliminary step to
conducting new research and field surveys; and (5) To develop general
habitat descriptions for the two biogeographical regions found within
the study area, including life history data on key species present and
mapping of the areal extent of these habitats.

**DESCRIPTION:** The study area, with its marine component encompassing
the U.S. continental shelf from the coastal zone to the 200-m isobath,
extended offshore from the U.S.-Canada border on the north to Hudson
Canyon on the south. The shoreward extent of the study area was the
coastal zone or the extent of salt water intrusion for marine
environmental data, and the coastal counties (i.e., 43 coastal counties
within seven states) for socio-economic data. Major topics of discussion
within the Socio-Economic Inventory included demography; general
economy; petroleum and petrochemicals; recreation; transportation;
fisheries; other marine activities; land and water use; land use plans;
and land and water use controls. Tasks conducted included: initial data
collection (i.e., local workshop, published literature review, a pilot
study of Maine, development of overall study requirements), data
collection for all areas (i.e., telephone survey, mailing, visitation);
data reduction (i.e., assembly of initial bibliographies, collate data
from field visits, chapter and topic authors assignment, development of
report outline); and synthesis of data and final report preparation
(i.e., distribute report outline, conduct program review, prepare final
report). Socio-economic information was collected for individual coastal
areas and for the entire State, allowing for a comparison of coastal
versus non-coastal trends for each State and for the entire study
region.

**SIGNIFICANT CONCLUSIONS:** The ten-month study to collect and analyze
environmental and socio-economic data applicable to the U.S. North
Atlantic continental shelf and adjacent coastal zone environment
resulted in established contacts with over 300 individuals and review of
approximately 3,800 citations. For the entire study, 32 principal
investigators and/or authors were involved. Socio-economic data were
presented by subject area, designed to focus on the major elements of
the social and economic utilization of the coastal zone of the region.
The last chapter of Book II presented a summary of the environmental
data gaps and research needs for ten separate topics.

**STUDY RESULTS:** Book II, Chapter 18, Introduction: This chapter
outlined the purpose of the study, with an emphasis on the
socio-economic component, the geographic and topical coverage, and the
organization of the report. Book II, Chapter 19, Population and Income
Characteristics: This chapter characterized the North Atlantic Region in
terms of its population, employment, labor force, and income. In
addition, a summary of population, employment income, and earnings data
from the Bureau of Economic Affairs was also provided. Book II, Chapter
20, Overview of Economic Activity: Major topics of discussion within
this chapter included resource industries, manufacturing, and service
industries. Resource industries included evaluation of agriculture,
forestry, fisheries, and mining; manufacturing was summarized by State
and by industry; the characterization of service industries included
retail trade, wholesale trade, selected services, finance, and
government. Book II, Chapter 21, Petroleum and Petrochemicals: This
chapter was divided into two major sections, per its title. Major topics
of discussion under the petroleum section included consumption of
petroleum products (i.e., trends in consumption by product and by major
user category), consumption of substitutable fuels (i.e., bituminous
coal and lignite, natural gas, nuclear power), and production of oil and
refined products. The major topic of discussion under the petrochemical
section included an evaluation of the trends in petrochemical activity
within the study region. Book II, Chapter 22, Outdoor Recreational
Activity: This chapter was based on development of a recreation
inventory, wherein direct and indirect measures of recreational activity
were presented and discussed. Direct measures of recreational activity
included sportfishing, boating, camping, and beach activities. Indirect
measures included housing, retail sales of recreation-based businesses,
amusement and recreational services, seasonal ferries, scenic routes and
historic sites, and recreational islands. The multiplier effects of
recreation were also summarized. Book II, Chapter 23, Transportation:
The introductory section of this chapter summarized waterborne commerce
and the port conditions at ten individual harbors or ports within the
study area. Major topics of discussion within this chapter included
petroleum, dry cargo, and passenger transportation. Petroleum
transportation text included a discussion of tanker cargo movements,
tanker vessel trips, and port facilities equipped to handle petroleum
shipments. Dry cargo transportation text included dry cargo vessel
movements, dry cargo vessel trips, port facilities equipped to handle
dry cargo shipments, and other modes of dry cargo transport (i.e.,
railroad, highways, air transport). Book II, Chapter 24, Other
Marine-Related Activities: This diverse chapter presented summaries of
four major marine-related activities (i.e., ship and boatbuilding and
repair; sand and gravel, other mineral resources; electric power
facilities; marine research and education), three miscellaneous marine
services and activities (i.e., U.S. Navy and Coast Guard facilities;
water transportation; boat dealer activity), and three other
marine-related manufacturing activities (i.e., pulp and paper;
industrial chemicals; cement and concrete). Book II, Chapter 25,
Fisheries: This chapter was divided into four major topical discussions,
including an overview of major fisheries-related legislation, landings
of fish and shellfish, operating units of fishermen, and fish
processing. The text pertaining to institutional considerations (i.e.,
summary of legislation applicable to fisheries of the region) provided a
characterization of international fisheries regulations, Federal, and
State legislation. In addition, the legal, institutional, and economic
considerations of aquaculture were also discussed. The second major
topic, landings of fish and shellfish, was divided into volume and value
of annual landings (i.e., total landings for the U.S., the study region,
individual States, and individual counties; total landings by species by
State and county) and monthly landings (by major species). Catches by
selected northwest Atlantic fishery areas was also presented. Operating
units were presented on the basis of State of operation and gear type;
socio-economic and vessel characteristics were also presented. Fish
processing discussions included value of processed fishery products and
general characteristics of fish processors (i.e., number of plants,
employment). Book II, Chapter 26, Land Use: Six major sections comprised
this chapter, including an overview and separate discussions of urban
land uses, rural land uses, archaeology and historic sites, land use
plans, and land use controls. Urban and rural land use sections were
structured similarly, with each presenting a discussion of coastal
planning regions and shoreland zone. The section on land use controls
considered Federal, State, and municipal land use legislation or zoning
restrictions.

Book II, Chapter 27: Environmental Data Gaps and Research Needs: This
chapter provided a summary of the environmental data gaps and research
needs for ten separate topics, including geology, physical oceanography,
chemical oceanography, meteorology, phytoplankton, zooplankton, benthic
invertebrates, fishes, marine birds, and marine mammals. This chapter
routinely summarized the limitations encountered by individual
researchers when attempting to compile synthesis material, in addition
to recommending areas of future research.

**STUDY PRODUCT(S):** The Research Institute of the Gulf of Maine. 1974.
A Socio-Economic and Environmental Inventory of the North Atlantic
Region, Including the Outer Continental Shelf and Adjacent Waters from
Sandy Hook to Bay of Fundy. Vol. II, Socio-Economic Inventory. A final
report for the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land
Management, Washington, D.C. Contract No. 08550-CT3-08. x + 750 pp.

\*P.I.\'s affiliation may be different than that listed for Project
Manager(s).