a

Fishing Communities 

of the United States 

2006

Economics and Sociocultural

Status and Trends Series

U.S. Department of Commerce

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

National Marine Fisheries Service

NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-F/SPO-98

May 2009
 b
i

Fishing Communities

of the United States, 2006

Economics and Social Analysis Division

Office of Science and Technology

National Marine Fisheries Service

1315 East-West Highway

Silver Spring, MD 20910

NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-F/SPO-98

May 2009

U.S. Department of Commerce

Gary Locke, Secretary of Commerce

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., Administrator of NOAA

National Marine Fisheries Service

James W. Balsiger, Ph.D., Acting Assistant Administrator for Fisheries
 ii

Front cover photo: Unisea seafood processing plant, Dutch Harbor/

Unalaska, in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, the largest U.S. port by 

pounds landed

Inside front photo: A fleet of longline fishing vessels crowd Pier 17 

in Honolulu

Photo credits: Susan Abbott-Jamieson, Charlie Ess, 

William B. Folsom, Palma Ingles, Edward J. Pastula, 

Jenifer Sepez, Tony Suber, NOAA Photo Library

Suggested citation:

National Marine Fisheries Service. 2009. Fishing Communities of the United States, 2006. U.S.

Dept. Commerce, NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-F/SPO-98, 84 p. Available at:

http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/st5/publication/index.html

A copy of this report may be obtained from:

Economics and Social Analysis Division

Attn: Susan Abbott-Jamieson or Rita Curtis

Office of Science and Technology

National Marine Fisheries Service

1315 East-West Highway

Silver Spring, MD 20910

Or online at:

http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/st5/publication/index.html
iii

Contents

v Preface

1 National Overview

2 U.S. Summary

7 North Pacific

8 North Pacific Summary

11 Alaska Tables

13 Pacific

14 Pacific Summary

18 California Tables

19 Oregon Tables

20 Washington Tables

21 Western Pacific

22 Western Pacific Summary

24 Hawai`i Tables

25 New England

26 New England Summary

30 Connecticut Tables

31 Maine Tables

32 Massachusetts Tables

33 New Hampshire Tables

34 Rhode Island Tables

35 Mid-Atlantic

36 Mid-Atlantic Summary

40 Delaware Tables

41 Maryland Tables

42 New Jersey Tables

43 New York Tables

44 Virginia Tables

45 South Atlantic

46 South Atlantic Summary

50 East Florida Tables

51 Georgia Tables
 iv

52 North Carolina Tables

53 South Carolina Tables

55 Gulf of Mexico

56 Gulf of Mexico Summary

61 Alabama Tables

62 West Florida Tables

63 Louisiana Tables

64 Mississippi Tables

65 Texas Tables

67 Appendix

69 Data Sources

73 Resources

81 Glossary
v

Preface

Fishing Communities of the U.S., 2006

Fishing Communities of the U.S., 2006 is the first volume in 

this new periodic series. It reports descriptive demographic 

data on a subset of each coastal stateʼs commercial fishing 

communities and ports, as well as descriptive geographic 

information and other social indicator data for each state. 

It is a companion to Fisheries Economics of the U.S., 2006. 

The purpose of the publication is to provide the public with 

easily accessible information about the Nationʼs fishing 

communities and the states where they are located. Up 

to ten communities and ports per state were selected by 

experts in each region primarily on the basis of commercial 

landings data for 2006. These communities are not necessarily “fishing communities” as defined by the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (see 

Appendix). 

Sources of Data

Information in this report came from many sources. The 

commercial landings data for 2006 used to select communities and ports were obtained from various NMFS field 

offices (Fisheries Science Centers and Regional offices) in 

cooperation with various state agencies and interstate Marine Fisheries Commissions. Other sources of data include 

the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Emergency Management 

Agency, World Atlas, and the Central Intelligence Agency 

World Fact Book. 

Acknowledgements

Many people helped make this publication possible. Rita 

Curtis is Division Chief and originator for this series. 
 vi

Preface

Rosemary Kosaka is Editor for this series. Susan AbbottJamieson is Senior Author for Fishing Communities of the 

U.S., 2006; Rita Curtis and Rosemary Kosaka are contributing authors. All are located in the NMFS Office of Science 

& Technology in Silver Spring, Maryland. Contributing 

analysts include John Primo and Alexandria Zirbel, both 

formerly of the NMFS Office of Science & Technology. 

Deborah Hogans, NMFS Office of Science & Technology, 

also assisted with the preparation of this report. Willis L. 

Hobart and David G. Stanton, NMFS Scientific Publications 

Office, Office of Science & Technology, Seattle, Washington, 

provided publication and design guidance for this new series, and Sandi Sellars, NMFS Office of Science & Technology, Silver Spring, Maryland created the layout and design 

for the final report. 

NMFS staff social scientists in the regional Fisheries Science Centers and Regional Offices who provided guidance 

in selecting communities and ports for their region, sets of 

demographic and geographic data on those communities, 

and comments on drafts on the sections for their regions 

include: Stewart Allen, Patricia M. Clay, Palma Ingles, 

Karma Norman, Julia Olsen, Jennifer Sepez, and Brent 

Stoffle. Other contributors include Kim Engie, Jena McNeal, 

and Leila Sievanen.

Address all comments or questions to:

Economic and Sociocultural Analysis Division, (F/ST5)

National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA

1315 East-West Highway, Rm. 12361

Silver Spring, MD 20910-3282

Phone: 301-713-2328 / FAX: 301-713-4137

Website: http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/st5/index.htm

Gloucester Fishermanʼs Memorial, Gloucester, Massachusetts
1

National Overview
 2

U.S. Summary

Overview of the Report

This report presents descriptive demographic data on a 

subset of the Nationʼs fishing communities and ports for 

each of the Nationʼs coastal states, as well as descriptive 

geographic and other social indicator data for the states 

where these communities are located. The communities all have one feature in common: they participate in 

some aspect of commercial fishing. They were selected 

by experts in each region primarily because they had the 

highest landings volume in pounds in their state for 2006. 

By placing these community and state data snapshots side 

by side, we can compare the communities and the states 

where they are located to identify their similarities and 

differences. Identifying patterned similarities and differences among the Nationʼs fishing communities within and 

between regions is one of the steps in developing scientific 

understanding of how fishing communities are integrated 

into larger regional ecologies. Fisheries ecosystem-based 

management recognizes that human sociocultural and 

economic systems interact with marine ecosystems in profound ways. Additionally, these are some of the data used 

to assess how different kinds of communities in particular 

states and regions are impacted by fisheries management 

actions. 

The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administrationʼs National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS or NOAA Fisheries) 

divides the United Statesʼ twenty-four coastal states and its 

four territories and Puerto Rico among six distinct regions: 

the Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, Northwest, Alaska, 

and the Pacific Islands. Each region has responsibility for 

conducting relevant fisheries-related scientific research 

in support of the agencyʼs mandated mission to conserve 

and manage the Nationʼs living marine resources under the 

Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management Act (P.L. 94-265, as amended by P.L. 109-479). 

These six NMFS regions are included in or overlap eight 

Fishery Management Council regions: New England, MidAtlantic, South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, Pacific, 

North Pacific, and the Western Pacific. Fishery Management Councils (FMCs) are responsible for creating fisheries 

management plans with the advice of scientific advisory 

committees and others. The management plans must be approved by the Secretary of Commerce before they go into 

effect. 

This report is divided into eight sections: a National Overview and regional overviews for the North Pacific, Pacific, 

Western Pacific, New England, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, 

and Gulf of Mexico regions. All twenty-three coastal states 

are included in one of these seven regions.1 

________________________________

1Pennsylvania is not included in this report. Florida is 

included for the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico regions 

as East and West Florida, respectively.

The Caribbean territories of the U.S. Virgin Islands and the 

Commonwealth of Puerto Rico were not included in this 

report due to data limitations. Similarly, the territories of 

American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the 

Northern Marianas Islands are also excluded. 

The report groups the information on the top fishing communities by state within each region. Each section begins 

with a regional summary that provides an overview of the 

regional coastal physical geography, some information on 

historical importance and involvement in marine fishing, 

some highlights of the demographic similarities and differences among the fishing communities, and ends with a 

list of “Fishing Communities Facts” for the region. This is 

followed by one page of tables for each state in the region. 

The tables compare: sex and age and race/ethnicity distributions in 2000 for the fishing communities combined 

compared to the state as a whole; demographic attributes 

for the individual fishing communities in 2000 compared 

to the state; and indicators of growth and population wellbeing for the state for 1997-2006. A list of other communities and ports in the state with involvement in marine 

fisheries concludes each stateʼs section. The report concludes with: a Data Sources list identifying the reportʼs data 

sources, a Resources section listing web-based resources 

and publications for those who want to learn more about 

U.S. marine fishing communities and the management of 

our living marine resources, and a Glossary providing definitions of specialized terminology. 

U.S. Summary

Great diversity characterizes the Nationʼs marine fishing 

communities and ports. Patterned similarities also exist. A 

few highlights follow. 

Physical Geography

The United Statesʼ fishing communities and ports are 

located in coastal areas within the North Pacific regionʼs 

arctic and polar zones, as well as the temperate middle 

latitudes that characterize the New England and Mid-
3

 National Overview

Atlantic regions, most of the Pacific region, and some of the 

South Atlantic region. The southern third of California, the 

coastal areas of the South Atlantic regionʼs states of South 

Carolina, Georgia, and Florida are all subtropical, as are the 

coastal areas of all the states in the Gulf of Mexico region. 

The tip of the Florida Keys, the Caribbean region, and the 

Western Pacific region are in the tropics. These differences 

affect local and regional fisheries.

Among the regions, the North Pacific (Alaska) has the 

longest ocean coastline (6,640 miles), while the shortest 

ocean coastlines are found in New England (473 miles) 

and the Mid-Atlantic (428 miles). The other regions fall 

in between as follows: South Atlantic (1,168 miles), Gulf 

of Mexico (1,631 miles), and the Pacific (1,293 miles). 

Hawai`i in the Western Pacific region is composed of 

islands. The chain is 1,500 miles long, and the seven 

inhabited islands share 750 miles of coastline.

Susceptibility to Natural Disasters

Fishing communities and ports are located in coastal zones 

putting them at risk for hurricanes and tropical storms, 

and other dangers like tsunamis. Fishing communities 

and ports around the Gulf of Mexico share the Nationʼs 

highest potential for annual hurricane seasons that disrupt 

commercial and recreational fishing, and the worst among 

these storms can destroy entire communities, such as the 

devastation caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. 

The Gulf of Mexicoʼs per annum average is 10.7 declared 

disasters and emergencies due to hurricanes, tropical 

storms, and depressions combined, while the South Atlantic 

region comes in second with an average of 6.4 major 

weather-related disasters. Severe winter storms are most 

likely to affect marine fisheries in the North Pacific region.

Early History

For thousands of years prior to European colonization of 

North America, Native Americans were utilizing marine 

and aquatic resources along the coasts, while Polynesian 

peoples whose cultures were intimately involved with the 

marine environment began occupying the Pacific islands 

by at least 400 A.D. The earliest European arrivals found 

a variety of marine resources already being utilized in 

most coastal areas. Marine resources were among the first 

natural resources targeted by these early Europeans. 

Historic patterns of involvement in commercial fishing by 

particular racial or ethnic groups continue to characterize 

contemporary commercial fishing in many parts of 

the country. Some examples include: Scandinavians 

(Norwegians, Danes, and Swedes) in the New England, MidAtlantic, and Pacific regions; Portuguese and Sicilians in 

the New England region and Italians in the Pacific region; 

francophone Acadians in New England and Cajuns in the 

Gulf of Mexico; British in the New England and Mid-Atlantic 

regions; African Americans in the Mid-Atlantic, South 

Atlantic, and Gulf of Mexico; Chinese in the Pacific region; 

Vietnamese in the Gulf of Mexico and the Western Pacific; 

and Native Americans in the Pacific and North Pacific 

regions.

Some Fishing Community Contrasts Across Regions

The Nationʼs top commercial fishing communities and ports 

range from subareas of major metropolitan centers such 

as Houston, Texas (pop. 1,953,631), San Diego, California 

(pop. 1,223,400), Honolulu, Hawai`i (pop. 876,156), and 

Jacksonville, Florida (pop. 735,617), to small villages such 

as Winter Harbor, Maine (pop. 988), Naknek, Alaska (pop. 

678), La Push, Washington (pop. 371), Wachapreague, 

Virginia (pop. 236), and Valona, Georgia (pop. 123). Some 

interesting points made in the regional summaries follow. 

The North Pacific regionʼs top fishing communities all tend 

to be smaller communities, with an average population 

of 3,620, within a state in which 99% of its fishing communities have populations below 12,000. Alaskaʼs fishing 

communities with shoreside processing facilities attract 

large temporary populations who sometimes outnumber 

permanent residents.

Fishing communities in the State of Hawaiʼi are defined as 

the seven main inhabited islands. Most small-scale commercial fishing boats are transported by trailer so they can 

be launched at diverse sites. Honolulu is the home port for 

the Hawai`i-based longline fishing fleet, responsible for the 

majority of commercial fish landed in Hawai`i.

The median population for the top commercial fishing 

communities in the Pacific regionʼs three states combined 

is 84,038. Seven of Californiaʼs, nine of Washingtonʼs top 

fishing communities, and all ten of Oregonʼs top fishing 

communities fall below the median. Five of Washingtonʼs 

top commercial fishing communities have populations of 

fewer than 1,000 compared to three of Californiaʼs and 

none of Oregonʼs. Four of Californiaʼs top commercial fishing communities are located in urban areas of more than 

75,000 people, while only one of Washingtonʼs, and none 

of Oregonʼs top commercial fishing communities are in 

urban areas.

The Gulf of Mexicoʼs top fishing communities tend to be 

smaller towns and villages with populations below 20,000 

persons. However one major metropolitan center approaching 2 million (Houston, Texas), and a few larger coastal 

cities also have significant fisheries involvement (Tampa 

and St. Petersburg, Florida; Mobile, Alabama; and Brownsville, Texas). The majority of Louisianaʼs and Alabamaʼs 

top fishing communities have populations below 5,000. 

Nine of Louisianaʼs top fishing communities and seven of 
 4

U.S. Summary

Alabamaʼs top fishing communities fall in this group. 

Floridaʼs top commercial fishing communities are the largest in the South Atlantic region. They include subareas of 

large cities like Jacksonville (pop. 735,617) and Miami 

(pop. 362,470); none have populations below 10,000. In 

contrast, North Carolinaʼs top commercial fishing communities have populations below 6,000 and six are smaller than 

2,000. Both Georgia and South Carolina are more mixed. 

Each has a larger city ‒ Savannah, Georgia (pop. 131,510) 

and Charleston, South Carolina (pop. 96,650) ‒ involved in 

commercial and saltwater recreational fishing, as well as 

some small fishing villages. Examples include Valona (pop. 

123) and Midway (pop. 1,100), Georgia, and McClellanville (pop. 459) and Wadmalaw Island (pop. 2,611), South 

Carolina.

Several major metropolitan areas are located in the MidAtlantic region, a center of population for the United States. 

The Mid-Atlantic regionʼs top fishing communities located 

within larger urban areas are all located in Virginia. They 

include Virginia Beach (pop. 425,257), Richmond (pop. 

197,790), Newport News (pop. 180,150), and Hampton 

(pop. 146,437). Seven of the regionʼs top fishing communities are smaller cities with populations between 10,000 

and 41,000. Examples include Atlantic City (pop. 40,517) 

and Point Pleasant (pop. 19,306), New Jersey, and Oceanside (pop. 32,733), Islip (pop. 20,575), and Hampton 

Bays (pop. 12,236), New York. The majority of Marylandʼs 

(seven of nine), Delawareʼs (three of five), New Jerseyʼs 

(seven of ten), and New Yorkʼs (five of eight) top fishing 

communities fall between 1,000 and 7,700 in population. 

Six of the regionʼs top fishing communities have fewer than 

1,000 inhabitants.

The largest metropolitan area in the New England region is 

Boston (pop. 589,141), a center for financial services and 

insurance for the fishing industry, as well as the home of 

the Nationʼs oldest continuously operating daily fish pier. 

The other New England regionʼs top fishing communities 

that are located within urban areas of more than 100,000 

population are Providence (pop. 173,618), Rhode Island, 

and Bridgeport (pop. 139,529) and New Haven (pop. 

123,626), Connecticut. Exclusive of these large cities, the 

average population for the top fishing communities is 

32,846 for Massachusetts, 31,456 for Connecticut, and 

26,175 for Rhode Island. Maine averages 3,196 (excludes 

Portland, pop. 64,249), while New Hampshire averages 

6,115 (excludes Portsmouth, pop. 20,784). Both Maine 

and New Hampshireʼs top fishing communities are predominantly smaller communities. Eight of Maineʼs and four 

of New Hampshireʼs have populations of less than 8,000. 

Only two of Massachusettsʼ and one of Rhode Islandʼs top 

fishing communities have populations of less than 8,000, 

while Connecticut has none.

The Effects of Population Growth on Coastal Areas

Many coastal areas in these states are experiencing growth 

in their populations as people seek homes near the ocean. 

This is particularly true in the areas with milder climates. 

These patterns affect everything from fish habitat, particularly nursery grounds in shallow coastal waters, to the 

continued availability of commercial fishing infrastructure 

like docking facilities and other support services, as real 

estate values increase in the face of demand for alternative 

uses. In some regions, commercial fishing is being eclipsed 

by saltwater recreational fishing. The South Atlantic region, 

which includes the Atlantic Coast of Florida and several 

desirable beach vacation areas in Georgia, South Carolina, 

and North Carolina, is a good example of this change. The 

Mississippiʼs Gulf Coast in the Biloxi area is another example. In this area, Hurricane Katrinaʼs devastation has served 

to speed the transformation of real estate from commercial fishing support uses to uses that support the gaming 

industry. 

Community Resiliency, Growth, and Well Being

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 9.2% of family households in the U.S. live below the poverty rate. The 222 top 

fishing communities in the U.S. have an average poverty 

rate of 10.1%, just above the national rate. Poverty rates 

range in top fishing communities from 0% in Valona, Georgia to 33.7% in Crescent City, California, with the majority 

of communities falling between 2% and 10%. All states 

except Alaska, Delaware, Maine, and New Hampshire have 

fishing communities with poverty rates above 11%. The 

majority of fishing communities in Georgia (seven of ten), 

Alabama (seven of ten), Texas (seven of ten), Mississippi 

(four of seven), and Louisiana (nine of ten), and half of the 

fishing communities in Oregon and South Carolina have 

poverty rates above 11%. 

Nationwide, 18% of residents five years of age or older 

speak a language other than English at home according 

to the 2000 U.S. Census. Overall, top fishing communities ranged from 0% of residents five years of age or older 

speaking a language other than English at home (Crescent, Georgia) and 1% (Bowers Beach, Delaware) to 87% 

(Brownsville, Texas) and 93% (Niʼihau, Hawai`i). Twentytwo percent (48 of 222) of the top fishing communities 

in the U.S. had a higher rate than the national rate. The 

majority of fishing communities in Hawai`i (six of seven), 

California (seven of ten), and Texas (seven of ten), and half 

of the communities in Alaska, reported rates above the 

national rate. 

The national median household income was $42,000 

according to the 2000 U.S. Census. Top fishing communities had median household incomes that ranged between 
5

National Overview

$18,000 (Crisfield, Maryland) to $146,755 (Darien, 

Connecticut). Thirty-eight percent (84 of 222) of the 

top fishing communities in the U.S. had a higher median 

income than the national median. The majority of fishing 

communities in Alaska (nine of ten), California (seven of 

ten), Connecticut (seven of ten), Rhode Island (seven of 

ten), New Jersey (seven of ten), New York (six of eight), 

Hawai`i (four of seven), and all fishing communities in New 

Hampshire had median household incomes above $42,000.

Conclusion 

The above concludes our overview of the Nationʼs coastlines. The following sections return in detail to individual 

regions embracing the twenty-three states covered by this 

report. A list of fishing communities and ports is provided 

at the end of each regional summary. More detailed information on some of these communities can be found in the 

regional community profiles. If available, citations for these 

profiles are also listed at the end of each regional summary. 

For additional information related to fishing communities 

and sociocultural research conducted by NMFS social 

science staff, a detailed bibliography and list of other 

source materials appears at the end of this publication.
 6
7

North Pacific

 Alaska
 8

Regional Context

The North Pacific region includes only the state of Alaska. 

The stateʼs coastline is 6,640 miles; its tidal shoreline is 

enormous at 33,904 miles, more than 2.8 times longer 

than the next longest regional tidal shoreline. Fishing communities can be found along most of the subarctic parts 

of Alaskaʼs coastline and some of its tidal shoreline. Commercially important communities occur adjacent to the Gulf 

of Alaska from the Canadian border, north to the end of 

the Alaskan Peninsula on Kodiak Island and on some of the 

islands in the Aleutian chain and the Pribilof Islands, and 

along Bristol Bay on the Bering Sea. Located in the high 

northern latitudes, Alaska is characterized by short summers and long, dark, cold winters, creating rigorous, often 

dangerous fishing conditions for its fishermen. Important 

species sought by commercial fishermen include pollock, 

mackerel, cod, herring, salmon, crab, and groundfish species such as rockfish, sablefish and halibut.

Communities that are heavily involved in processing as well 

as commercial harvesting activities attract large temporary 

populations of workers, including many Asians and Hispanics, from outside the region. In these communities, temporary workers sometimes outnumber permanent residents, 

and in some places are housed in group quarters during 

the fishing season, for example, Akutan (90% of the population) and Sand Point (36% of the population). This is a 

regionally unique feature. 

Native Americans comprise 80-90% of the population in 

some remote areas of Alaska. They continue to fish, hunt 

sea mammals, and gather other marine resources as part 

of their annual round of subsistence activities. Native 

Americans have continuously inhabited the region for at 

least 14,000 years, closely tied to the marine environment 

since their arrival. Major coastal cultural-linguistic groups 

include Inupiaq, Yupik, Aleut, Alutiiq, Tlingit, and Haida. 

Even communities in the interior of Alaska are tied to the 

marine environment by dependence on anadromous fish 

(for example, salmon) that spend part of their lives in the 

ocean and then return to inland watersheds to spawn. 

Recreational fishing has also become economically important in Southeast and South Central Alaska. Many remote 

Alaska communities are also dependent on subsistence 

fisheries and the harvest of marine mammals.

The Fishing Communities 

The Alaskan region is unique in the number and proportion 

of communities that are involved in, and dependent on, 

commercial fishing to earn their livelihoods. Overall, 

136 fishing communities have been profiled by NMFS 

social scientists because of the nature of their links with 

commercial and/or recreational fishing. In 2006, 11 of the 

United Statesʼ top 50 ports by pounds landed were located 

in Alaska. By order of ranking, they are: Dutch Harbor/

Unalaska (1); Kodiak (4); Naknek-King Solomon (12); 

Petersburg (17); Ketchikan (18); Sitka (19); Cordova (21); 

Seward (25); Juneau (39); Homer (44); and Kenai (49). On 

average, from 1997-2006, Alaska accounted for 53% of 

U.S. landings and 32% of landings revenue.

Alaska has the smallest population (626,932 in 2000) 

among the nationʼs coastal states. Alaskaʼs fishing 

communities also have small populations ranging from 

fewer than 100 to only a few thousand for even major 

fishing communities. The ten top commercial fishing 

communities have an average population of 3,620 ranging 

from the smallest, Akutan at 713, to Sitka, the largest at 

8,835. Sitka is also Alaskaʼs fifth largest city. 

Community, Resiliency, Growth, and Well Being

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 9.2% of families in the 

U.S. live below the poverty line, the median income level is 

$42,000, and 18% of residents over five years of age speak 

a language other than English at home. The state of Alaska 

has a lower percentage of families living in poverty (6.7%), 

a higher median income level ($52,000), and a lower number of residents older than five who speak a language other 

than English at home (14.3%) than the rest of the U.S. More 

information on these and other factors that may affect 

community resiliency are discussed below.

Alaskaʼs top fishing communities generally have family 

household poverty rates below the national average. The 

lone exceptions are Dillingham and Sand Point with poverty rates of 10%.1 The percentage of residents over five 

 ________________________________

1Note that in contrast to its top fishing communities, many 

of Alaskaʼs other fishing communities have relatively high 

poverty rates. (See Sepez et al. for additional information.)

A fisherman mends his nets at St. Paul Harbor, Alaska

North Pacific Summary
9

North Pacific Region

Fishing Communities Facts

 Alaska communities are small. Ninety-nine percent of

Alaska’s communities have fewer than 12,000

residents; 65% have less than 400 residents.

Fishing activities

 The isolated Aleutian outpost of Dutch

Harbor/Unalaska (pop. 4,283) is the nation’s busiest

fishing port by volume of landings.

 The pollock fishery is the largest in the U.S. Though

pursued by a relatively small fleet, including about 21

large catcher/processor vessels and 133 catcher

vessels, it comprises about 58% of landings in Alaska.

 Commercial fishing communities with shoreside

processing plants tend to have a higher proportion of

males in the population than the state. For example,

Akutan (77% male), Dutch Harbor/Unalaska (66%

male), and Sand Point (62% male) all have higher 

proportions of males than the state as a whole

(52%).

 Many non-Alaskans participate in commercial fisheries

in the state. Many of these participants come from

Washington and Oregon.

 Seaford, VA and Pleasantville, NJ are home to the

majority of the permit holders for the specialized

Alaskan scallop fishery.

 Each year, more than 15,000 people from all over the

world buy an Alaska Commercial Fishing Vessel

Crewmember license.

 The number of crew has declined since 1993 when

about 32,000 held crew licenses. In 2006, 18,498

crew licenses were sold.

 Almost half a million people buy sport fishing licenses

in Alaska each year, catching over three million fish.

Halibut and salmon are the most popular species.

Subsistence activities

 Alaskans harvest a lot of food from the wild and 65%

of this harvest is fish. On average, each person

harvests 22 pounds of food each year from the wild.

Alaskans in rural areas average 375 pounds per year.

Native Alaskans

 Sixty-five Alaska Native villages along the Bering Sea

belong to a Community Development Quota (CDQ)

Program that have been allocated 10% of the harvest

from several different Bering Sea fisheries.

 Marine mammals, including bowhead whales and

several seal species, are important food sources for

Alaska Natives in many coastal communities.

Historical context

 Several World War II battles were fought on Alaska’s

fishing grounds. While the United States fought the

Japanese in the Aleutian Islands, the entire Native

population in the archipelago was forcibly removed to

internment camps.

 The community of Adak, once a large military base in

the Aleutian Islands, is currently being redeveloped

by the Aleut Corporation as a fishing community.

years of age who spoke a language other than English was 

14% for the state. In contrast, the percentage of residents 

who spoke a language other than English at home was 

more than twice the national rate in Akutan (66%), Dutch 

Harbor/Unalaska (42%), Kodiak, (42%), King Cove (37%), 

and Sand Point (36%).

Another factor potentially affecting community resiliency is 

the relative isolation of Alaskaʼs fishing communities. Most 

of Alaskaʼs fishing communities are reached only by sea or 

air; no roads connect them to other communities. Weather 

conditions can make sea and air travel unreliable. This 

means that these communities can be very isolated. It also 

means that many foodstuffs and other commercial goods 

including fuel must be shipped in, raising their local cost. 

Further, many basic services including medical care are 

more difficult to access. 

The state population grew 8.2% from 1997-2006. The 

number of building permits issued grew 7% and the unemployment rate declined 8.5% for this period. From 2005-

2006, the number of building permits issued decreased 

5.1%. There were 12 disaster declarations during the 

1997-2006 time period and no emergency declarations. 

List of Fishing Communities and Ports

The following list contains fishing communities and 

ports that have been identified by NMFS social science 

staff as having ties to commercial and/or recreational 

fisheries in the North Pacific region. Profiles of these 

fishing communities can be found in Community Profiles 

for North Pacific Fisheries ‒ Alaska, currently available 

at http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/Publications/techmemos.

htm. For the other states, see Community Profiles for West 

Coast and North Pacific Fisheries ‒ Washington, Oregon, 

California, and Other U.S. States, currently available at 

http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/publications/displayallinfo.

cfm?docmetadataid=6718.

Alaska

Adak

Akhiok

Akiachak

Akutan

Aleknagik

Alitak Bay

Anchor Point

Anchorage

Angoon

Atka

Auke Bay

Bethel

Chefornak

Chignik (Bay)

Chignik Lagoon

Chignik Lake

Chugiak

Clam Gulch

Clarks Point

Cordova

Craig

Dillingham

Douglas

Dutch Harbor/Unalaska

Eagle River

Edna Bay

Eek

Egegik

Ekuk

Ekwok

Elfin Cover

Elim

Emmonak

Excursion Inlet

Fairbanks

False Pass

Fritz Creek

Galena

Girdwood

Goodnews Bay
 10

North Pacific Summary

Gustavus

Haines

Halibut Cove

Hobart Bay

Homer

Hoonah

Hooper Bay

Hydaburg

Igiugig

Iliamna

Ivanof Bay

Juneau

Kake

Karluk

Kasilof

Kenai

Ketchikan

King Cove

King Salmon

Kipnuk

Klawock

Kodiak

Kokhanok

Koliagnek

Kongiganak

Kotlik

Kwigillingok

Larsen Bay

Levelock

Manokotak

Marshall

Mekoryuk

Metlakatla

Meyers Chuck

Naknek

Napakiak

Nelson Lagoon

New Stuyahok

Newhalen

Newtok

Nightmute

Nikiski

Nikolaevsk

Ninilchik

Nome

Old Harbor

Ouzinkie

Palmer

Pedro Bay

Pelican

Perryville

Petersburg

Pilot Point

Pilot Station

Platinum

Point Baker

Port Alexander

Port Alsworth

Port Graham

Port Heiden

Port Lions

Port Moller

Port Protection

Portage Creek

Prudhoe Bay

Quinhagak

Saint George

Saint Marys

Saint Paul

Sand Point

Scammon Bay

Seldovia

Seward

Shaktoolik

Sitka

Skwentna

Soldotna

South Naknek

Sterling

Tenakee Springs

Thorne Bay

Togiak

Toksook Bay

Tuntutuliak

Tununak

Twin Hills

Ugashik

Unalakleet

Valdez

Ward Cove

Wasilla

Whale Pass

Whittier

Willow

Wrangell

Yakutat

Washington

Anacortes

Bellingham

Bothell

Cathlamet

Chinook

Edmonds

Everett

Lakewood

Seattle

Silvana

Woodinville

Oregon

Astoria

Newport

Sisters

New Jersey

Pleasantville

Virginia

Seaford
11

Alaska Tables

Geographic Characteristics

State land area (sq. mi): 571,951 % of U.S.: 16.2

Coastline (mi): 6,640 Shoreline (mi): 33,904

County equivalents: 27 Coastal: 23 Marine: 23

2000 Sex by Age: State of Alaska and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

M

Total F

Under

5

5 to

14 15 to 24 25 to34

35 to

44

45 to

54

55 to

64

65 to

74

75 to

84

85

and

over

51.7%

Alaska 626,932 48.3% 7.6% 17.6% 14.4% 14.3% 18.2% 15.1% 7.2% 3.6% 1.7% 0.4%

Fishing 57.7%

Communities 36,199 42.3% 6.2% 13.7% 12.6% 15.4% 21.8% 17.4% 7.8% 3.2% 1.5% 0.4%

2000 Race and Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity: Alaska and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

Race Ethnicity

Total

Population White

Black or

African

American

American

Indian and

Alaska

Native

Asian

Native

Hawaiian

and other

Pacific

Islander

Some

other

race

Two

or

more

races

% Hispanic

or Latino

(of any race)

Alaska 626,932 69.3% 3.5% 15.6% 4.0% 0.5% 1.6% 5.4% 4.1%

Fishing

Communities 36,199 46.2% 1.2% 26.4% 16.6% 0.4% 4.4% 4.9% 7.7%

2000 Demographic Attributes: Selected Fishing Communities Compared to State Total

Fishing

Communities

Total

Population

Median

Household

Income

% Family

Households

below Poverty

Level

% Persons

over 16 in

Labor Force

Median

Educational

Attainment

% >5 yrs Speak

Language other

than English at

Home

Alaska 626,932 $51,571 6.7% 71.3% Some college 14.3%

Akutan 713 $33,7501 0.0% 94.1% HS graduate 65.9%

Dillingham 2,466 $51,458 10.1% 73.0% Some college 15.8%

Dutch Harbor /

Unalaska2 4,283 $69,539 2.0% 83.2% Some college 42.1%

Ketchikan 7,922 $45,802 4.9% 70.9% Some college 11.7%

King Cove 792 $45,8931 3.3% 73.2% HS graduate 37.0%

Kodiak 6,334 $55,142 3.7% 73.9% Some college 41.6%

Naknek 678 $53,393 3.1% 71.1% Some college 4.2%

Petersburg 3,224 $49,028 3.3% 70.8% Some college 6.6%

Sand Point 952 $55,4171 10.3% 74.2% HS graduate 35.5%

Sitka 8,835 $51,901 4.2% 73.6% Some college 9.6%

Indicators for Growth and Population Well-being in Alaska

Indicator 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Population3 619,500 615,205 608,846 626,932 632,241 640,544 647,747 656,834 663,253 670,053

Building Permits 2,560 2,874 2,211 2,147 2,939 3,003 3,531 3,133 2,885 2,739

Unemployment

Rate 7.1 6.1 6.2 6.2 6.2 7.1 7.7 7.4 6.9 6.5

Disaster

Declarations 0 0 0 1 0 3 1 1 2 4

Emergency

Declarations 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

1

Figures do not include residents living in group quarters: Akutan (638=90% of population), King Cove (299=38% of population, Sand

Point (340=36% of population). 2

Census data for Dutch Harbor/Unalaska was identified as Unalaska city. 3

Estimated population for all years except 2000; actual count was available for this year.
 12
13

Pacific

 California

 Oregon

 Washington
 14

Regional Context

The Pacific region includes the states of California, Oregon, 

and Washington which share 1,293 miles of coastline 

extending from the Canadian border in the north to the 

Mexican border in the south. California has 840 miles 

(65%) of this coastline, followed by Oregon (296 miles) 

and Washington (157 miles). These states also share 

7,863 miles of tidal shoreline: California has 3,427 miles; 

Washington, 3,026 miles; and Oregon, 1,410 miles. 

Communities involved in marine fishing and harvesting are 

found along both the coastline and the tidal shoreline that 

includes Washingtonʼs Puget Sound and the regionʼs largest 

inland waterway, the Columbia River. The Columbia River 

forms the boundary between Washington and Oregon. 

The regionʼs coastal mountain ranges, strong Pacific 

currents, and more than 16 degrees difference between 

its north and south latitudes help create diverse coastal 

ecological and climatic conditions. These range from 

Washingtonʼs temperate rainforest on the Olympic 

Peninsula in the north through Oregonʼs forested coastlines 

and Californiaʼs Mediterranean climate around Monterey 

Bay, to southern Californiaʼs semi-arid coastal hills and 

coastlines. Important species sought by commercial 

fishermen include Dungeness crab, Pacific sardines, Pacific 

whiting, California market squid, Chinook salmon, albacore 

tuna, and numerous groundfish species including rockfish, 

sablefish and halibut. 

The attributes of fishing communities have changed 

over the last century along with related changes in the 

industry and the fish stocks. Historically most of the Pacific 

regionʼs fishing communities were relatively small and 

isolated. Over the last century, ecological (including the 

degradation of fish stocks), demographic, technological, 

and commercial-industrial trends have resulted in the 

consolidation of fishing activities. Today, centers of marine 

commercial and recreational fishing include large cities 

like San Diego, California and Seattle, Washington, as well 

as subareas of major metropolitan areas like San Pedro, 

California, an area within Los Angeles. 

Four of Californiaʼs top commercial fishing communities 

are located in urban areas of more than 75,000 people. 

There is only one such fishing community in Washington 

and none in Oregon. Two of these California fishing 

communities have populations of over 750,000: San 

Francisco (776,733) and San Diego (1,223,341). 

Centers for fishing activity also include smaller cities 

like Bellingham and Olympia, Washington and Coos Bay, 

Oregon, as well as very small fishing communities with 

fewer than a thousand people in rural areas like Point 

Arena, California (474), Pacific City, Oregon (1,027), and 

La Push, Washington (371). Five of Washingtonʼs top 

commercial fishing communities have populations of fewer 

than 1,000, compared to three in California and none in 

Oregon. 

Native Americans have harvested the regionʼs marine life 

for millennia. Contemporary archaeology indicates that 

Native Americans arrived in the coastal areas as early as 

14,000 years ago. Native peoples reliant on marine and 

aquatic species for a major portion of their diet were living 

in coastal and shoreline settlements when the earliest 

Europeans arrived between the 16th and 18th centuries. 

Native fishermen continue to harvest fish and other marine 

resources today for consumption and ceremonial purposes, 

and as commercial and recreational fishermen. The right to 

harvest marine and other aquatic resources on traditional 

fishing grounds is guaranteed under government-togovernment treaties made between tribal groups and 

the United States in the 19th century, and reaffirmed by 

the 1974 Boldt Decision. Some fishing communities, for 

example, Neah Bay and La Push, Washington, are primarily 

Native American communities with their own distinctive 

governing and socioeconomic structure.

Several salmon species, including Chinook (Oncorhynchus 

tshawytscha), coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch), sockeye 

(Oncorhynchus nerka), and chum (Oncorhynchus keta), 

have been important commercial species and continue 

to have cultural significance to the region. Local festivals 

that memorialize and celebrate the salmon can be found 

in several communities. The issues surrounding the 

continued existence, harvest, and protection of the species 

are complex. This iconic species continues to draw broad 

attention throughout the region. 

Recreational fishing is an important part of Pacific Coast 

recreational culture and contributes to the tourism 

economy in many locations. Opportunities for recreational 

fishing vary widely within the region. Washingtonʼs 

Puget Sound offers an array of inner coastal waters as 

well as opportunities to fish the Pacific Ocean. Oregon 

Pacific Summary

Tomich Bros. offloading and icing, San Pedro, Los Angeles California
15

Pacific Region

and California both offer coastal fishing opportunities 

for marine species like salmon and tuna. Communities 

with a reputation for good fishing also tend to be linked 

to the tourism industry in general with more tourism 

infrastructure such as lodging, restaurants, and other 

amenities. Examples of fishing communities with important 

recreational fishing sectors include Westport, Washington, 

Monterey, California, and Gold Beach, Oregon. Puget Sound 

and the Straits of Juan De Fuca, Washington are home to 

an active whale watching tourism industry. 

Fishing Communities Facts

 Many West Coast communities start their fishing

seasons with spring time blessings of the fleet

festivals and celebrations.

 In 2000, 1,004 communities in states across the

country had some link to Pacific West Coast

fisheries. These links included fishing permits,

landings, and vessel ownership.

 Although they are thousands of miles away from

some of Alaska’s fisheries, West Coast communities

like Seattle and Bellingham serve as hubs for North

Pacific fishermen, crew, vessels, and companies.

 The community of Astoria, Oregon hosts a Fisher

Poets Annual Gathering which features original

poetry and songs written by participants in the

fishing industry.

Fishing ports

 The port of Los Angeles is a major Pacific Coast

port, landing 164.5 million pounds of fish in 2006.

 In 2000, Seattle was the homeport for 1,012

fishing vessels that were registered to participate in

Alaskan state water fisheries.

Native Americans

 There are 50 federally-recognized Native American

tribes in the Pacific region: 29 in Washington, 10 in

Oregon, and 11 in California.

 Tribal rights to harvest marine resources are

significant features of the fisheries in the

Northwest. Twenty Native American tribes are

included within the purview of U.S. treaties

assuring these rights.

Protected species

 Twenty-eight evolutionarily significant units (ESUs)

of West Coast salmon and steelhead species have

been listed under the Endangered Species Act

(ESA). All of these are of traditional, recreational,

and/or commercial value to the communities of the

region.

Oceanographic conditions

 The “California Current” along the length of the

Pacific West Coast is linked to an upwelling of

nutrients supporting abundant seabirds, marine

mammals, and fisheries. Productive fisheries

allowed for the development of marine-dependent

communities including those of historical and

literary note such as Monterey, California and its

famed Cannery Row.

Fishing Communities

Overall, 125 fishing communities have been profiled 

by NMFS social scientists because of the nature of their 

links with commercial and/or recreational fishing in the 

Pacific region: 53 in California, 32 in Oregon, and 40 

in Washington. In 2006, 11 of the U.S. top 50 ports by 

pounds landed were located on the West Coast. They are: 

Crescent City, Eureka, Los Angeles, Moss Landing, and 

Port Hueneme-Oxnard-Ventura, California; Astoria, Coos 

Bay-Charleston, and Newport, Oregon; and Bellingham, 

Ilwaco-Chinook, and Westport, Washington. On average, 

California, Oregon, and Washington accounted for 9.5% of 

U.S. landings from 1997-2006 and 10% of U.S. landings 

revenue during this period.1

Neither Washington nor Oregon has major metropolitan 

cities located directly on their marine coastline. However, 

Seattle, Tacoma, and Olympia, Washington are located 

on Puget Sound. California, the U.S.ʼs most populous state 

based on the 2000 U.S. Census, has several coastal cities 

with links to marine fisheries including San Francisco, San 

Jose, Los Angeles, and San Diego. 

Several of the Pacific regionʼs fishing communities are 

home ports for fishing vessels that split their fishing year 

between Alaskaʼs North Pacific regional waters and those 

off Washington, Oregon, and California. The owners and 

crew of these fishing vessels hold both Pacific and North 

Pacific region permits. Seattle and Bellingham, Washington 

are typical examples of these ports. Vessels also come 

from communities in Oregon such as Newport, and places 

in California, including communities like Eureka and San 

Francisco. Seattle is home to large seafood companies with 

very large fishing vessels that focus almost exclusively 

on Alaskan fishing, and some Alaskan fishing vessels also 

come south to the Pacific region to fish. These patterns 

create networks of fishing activity over a vast expanse 

of U.S. territorial waters off the Pacific Coast, the Gulf of 

Alaska, and the Bering Sea far to the north.

Community, Resiliency, Growth, and Well Being

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 9.2% of families in the 

U.S. live below the poverty line, the median income level 

is $42,000, and 18% of residents over five years of age 

speak a language other than English at home. The poverty 

rates, median income levels, and residents older than five 

who speak a language other than English at home vary 

across the states of the Pacific region and their fishing 

communities. More information on these and other factors 

that may affect community resiliency are discussed in the 

following sections. 

________________________________

1Landings and landings revenue from offshore processors 

are excluded from this estimate. 
 16

California

Based upon the 2000 Census, the percentage of family 

households below the poverty level was 10.6% in 

California. Crescent City (33.7%), Point Arena (24.1%), 

San Pedro (13.2%), Fort Bragg (11.9%), and San Diego 

(10.6%) had the highest poverty rates across Californiaʼs 

top fishing communities. The poverty rate in the other 

five fishing communities was below the national rate. The 

percentage of residents over five years of age who spoke 

a language other than English was 39.5% for the state, 

more than twice the national rate. Four of the top fishing 

communities, including San Francisco (45.7%) and San 

Pedro (40.0%), had comparably high rates. Only Crescent 

City (13.9%), Point Reyes (14.9%), and Bodega Bay (18.4%) 

had rates at or lower than the national rate. 

At the state level, indicators show that since 1997, 

population has grown 13.2%, annual building permit 

issuance increased 46.5%, and the unemployment rate fell 

23.4%. Building permit issuance fell 21.7% from 2005-

2006. There were 13 disaster declarations during the 

1997-2006 time period and two emergency declarations.

Oregon

In 2000, the percentage of family households below the 

poverty level in Oregon was 7.9%. With the exception 

of Depoe Bay (5.5%) and Port Orford (16.1%), the 

family household poverty rates in Oregonʼs top fishing 

communities ranged from 8.4% to 12.7%. The median 

income levels in the fishing communities were markedly 

lower than the state median income level ($41,000), 

averaging $31,000. The percentage of residents speaking 

English at home was 12.1% at the state level but less than 

10% in all of the top fishing communities. 

The state population grew 14.1% between 1997 and 

2006. In contrast, the number of building permits issued 

decreased 1.4% during this period, largely due to a 

14.2% decline in building permits issued in 2006 from 

2005 levels. The unemployment rate (5.3% in 2006) 

decreased 5.4% during this period. There were six disaster 

declarations and one emergency declaration from 1997-

2006.

Washington

In Washington, the percentage of family households below 

the poverty line was 7.3%. Neah Bay (26.3%) and La Push 

(20.9%) had the highest poverty rates among Washingtonʼs 

top fishing communities. The median income level in Neah 

Bay was less than half the state median income level. In 

Washingtonʼs other top fishing communities, the family 

household poverty rate ranged from 6% to 13.2%, and 

median income levels in these communities ranged from 

Pacific Summary

Washington

Aberdeen 

Anacortes* 

Bay Center

Bellingham*

Blaine

Bothell*

Cathlamet*

Chinook*

Edmonds*

Everett*

Ferndale

Fox Island

Friday Harbor

Gig Harbor

Grayland

Ilwaco

La Conner

La Push

Lakewood*

Long Beach

Lopez

Mount Vernon

Naselle

Neah Bay

Olympia

Port Angeles

Port Townsend

Raymond

Seattle*

Seaview

Sedro-Woolley

Sequim

Shelton

Silvana*

South Bend

Stanwood

Tacoma

Tokeland 

Westport

Woodinville*

Oregon

Astoria*

Bandon

Beaver

Brookings

Charleston

Clatskanie

Cloverdale

Coos Bay

Depoe Bay

Florence

Garibaldi

Gold Beach

Hammond

Harbor

Logsdon

Monument

Newport*

North Bend

Pacific City

Port Orford

Reedsport

$30,000 to $42,000. The median education level was 

“some college” for all communities except La Push (“high 

school graduate”). 

The state population grew 14.1% between 1997 and 2006. 

The unemployment rate (4.9% in 2006) ranged from 

4.8% in 1998 and 1999, to 7.4% in 2003. The issuance of 

building permits increased 22% between 1997 and 2006. 

There were 10 disaster declarations and one emergency 

declaration during the 1997-2006 time period.

List of Fishing Communities and Ports

The following list contains fishing communities and ports 

that have been identified by NMFS social science staff as 

having ties to commercial and/or recreational fisheries 

in the Pacific region. Communities that also have strong 

involvement in Alaska fisheries are identified with an 

asterisk (*). Profiles of these fishing communities are 

available to the public in Community Profiles for West 

Coast and North Pacific Fisheries - Washington, Oregon, 

California, and Other U.S. States at http://www.nwfsc.noaa.

gov/publications/displayallinfo.cfm?docmetadataid=6718. 
17

Pacific Region

Rockaway Beach

Roseburg

Seaside

Siletz

Sisters*

South Beach

Tillamook

Toledo

Warrenton

Winchester Bay

California

Albion

Arroyo Grande

Atascadero

Avila Beach

Bodega Bay

Corte Madera

Costa Mesa

Crescent City

Culver City

Dana Point

Dillon Beach

El Granada

El Sobrante

Eureka

Fields Landing

Fort Bragg

Half Moon Bay

Kneeland

Lafayette

Long Beach

Los Angeles

Los Osos

Marina

McKinleyville

Monterey

Morro Bay

Moss Landing 

Novato

Oxnard

Pebble Beach

Point Arena

Port Hueneme

Princeton

San Diego

San Francisco

San Jose

San Pedro

Santa Ana

Santa Barbara

Santa Cruz

Santa Rosa

Sausalito

Seaside

Sebastopol

Sunset Beach

Tarzana

Terminal Island

Torrance

Trinidad

Ukiah

Valley Ford

Ventura

New Jersey

Pleasantville*

Virginia

Seaford*
 18

California Tables

Geographic Characteristics

State land area (sq. mi): 155,959 % of U.S.: 4.41

Coastline (mi): 840 Shoreline (mi): 3,427

County equivalents: 58 Coastal: 29 Marine: 18

2000 Sex by Age: State of California and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

M

Total F

Under

5

5 to

14

15 to

24

25 to

34

35 to

44

45 to

54

55 to

64

65 to

74

75 to

84

85

and

over

49.8%

California 33,871,648 50.2% 7.3% 15.6% 14.2% 15.4% 16.2% 12.8% 7.7% 5.6% 3.8% 1.3%

Fishing 49.7%

Communities 2,239,735 50.3% 6.5% 14.0% 14.3% 15.2% 15.5% 13.9% 8.7% 5.9% 4.4% 1.6%

2000 Race and Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity: California and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

Race Ethnicity

Total

Population White

Black or

African

American

American

Indian and

Alaska

Native

Asian

Native

Hawaiian

and other

Pacific

Islander

Some

other

race

Two

or

more

races

% Hispanic

or Latino

(of any race)

California 33,871,648 59.5% 6.7% 1.0% 10.9% 0.3% 16.8% 4.7% 32.4%

Fishing

Communities 2,239,735 72.3% 3.0% 2.0% 6.3% 0.2% 12.0% 4.2% 23.3%

2000 Demographic Attributes: Selected Fishing Communities Compared to State Total

Fishing

Communities

Total

Population

Median

Household

Income

% Family

Households

below

Poverty Level

% Persons

over 16 in

Labor

Force

Median

Educational

Attainment

% >5 yrs

Speak

Language

other than

English at

Home

California 33,871,648 $47,493 10.6% 62.4% Some college 39.5%

Bodega Bay 474 $56,818 2.0% 54.2% Some college 18.4%

Crescent City 4,006 $20,133 33.7% 49.9% Some college 13.9%

Fort Bragg 7,026 $28,539 11.9% 62.4% Some college 21.4%

Point Arena 474 $27,083 24.1% 80.8% Some college 28.9%

Point Reyes 818 $57,292 6.0% 72.3% Some college 14.9%

Santa Barbara 92,325 $47,498 7.7% 67.0% Some college 36.0%

Santa Cruz 54,593 $50,605 6.6% 68.7% Some college 22.3%

San Diego 1,223,400 $45,733 10.6% 65.7% Some college 37.4%

San Francisco 776,733 $55,221 7.8% 66.3% Some college 45.7%

San Pedro1 79,886 $43,941 13.2% 60.9% Some college 40.0%

Indicators for Growth and Population Well-being in California

Indicator 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Population2 32,217,708 32,682,794 33,145,121 33,871,648 34,550,466 35,024,517 35,466,365 35,841,254 36,154,147 36,457,549

Building

Permits 109,589 124,035 138,039 145,575 146,739 159,573 191,948 207,390 205,020 160,502

Unemployment

Rate 6.4 6.0 5.3 4.9 5.4 6.7 6.9 6.3 5.4 4.9

Disaster

Declarations 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 4 2 2

Emergency

Declarations 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

1

Census data for San Pedro was identified as zip code tabulation areas 90731 and 90732. 2

Estimated population for all years except 2000; actual count was available for this year.
19

Geographic Characteristics

State land area (sq. mi): 95,997 % of U.S.: 2.71

Coastline (mi): 296 Shoreline (mi): 1,410

County equivalents: 36 Coastal: 21 Marine: 7

2000 Sex by Age: State of Oregon and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

M

Total F

Under

5

5 to

14

15 to

24

25 to

34

35 to

44

45 to

54

55 to

64

65 to

74

75 to

84

85

and

over

49.6%

Oregon 3,421,399 50.4% 6.5% 14.0% 13.8% 13.8% 15.4% 14.8% 8.9% 6.4% 4.7% 1.7%

Fishing 48.1%

Communities 58,580 51.9% 4.7% 11.5% 10.2% 9.3% 13.3% 15.3% 12.7% 12.0% 8.4% 2.6%

2000 Race and Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity: Oregon and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

Race Ethnicity

Total

Population White

Black or

African

American

American

Indian and

Alaska

Native

Asian

Native

Hawaiian

and other

Pacific

Islander

Some

other

race

Two

or

more

races

% Hispanic

or Latino

(of any race)

Oregon 3,421,399 86.6% 1.6% 1.3% 3.0% 0.2% 4.2% 3.1% 8.0%

Fishing

Communities 58,580 92.5% 0.3% 1.7% 1.0% 0.2% 1.7% 2.6% 4.5%

2000 Demographic Attributes: Selected Fishing Communities Compared to State Total

Fishing

Communities

Total

Population

Median

Household

Income

% Family

Households

below

Poverty Level

%

Persons

over 16

in Labor

Force

Median

Educational

Attainment

% >5 yrs Speak

Language other

than English at

Home

Oregon 3,421,399 $40,916 7.9% 65.2% Some college 12.1%

Astoria 9,813 $33,011 11.6% 64.2% Some college 8.2%

Brookings 5,447 $31,656 9.1% 56.2% Some college 6.1%

Coos Bay 15,374 $31,212 12.7% 57.9% Some college 5.5%

Depoe Bay 1,174 $35,417 5.5% 53.1% Some college 4.2%

Florence 7,263 $30,505 10.0% 39.0% Some college 4.6%

Gearheart/Seaside1 5,900 $31,074 11.6% 61.8% Some college 9.9%

Gold Beach 1,897 $30,243 8.8% 58.7% Some college 5.0%

Newport 9,532 $31,996 12.2% 62.7% Some college 9.7%

Pacific City 1,027 $33,250 8.4% 54.7% Some college 6.6%

Port Orford 1,153 $23,289 16.1% 44.5% Some college 4.0%

Indicators for Growth and Population Well-being in Oregon

Indicator 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Population2 3,243,254 3,282,055 3,316,154 3,421,399 3,474,183 3,523,529 3,561,155 3,589,168 3,638,871 3,700,758

Building

Permits 26,999 25,854 23,249 19,877 21,322 22,186 25,015 27,309 31,024 26,623

Unemployment

Rate 5.6 5.7 5.5 5.1 6.4 7.6 8.1 7.3 6.2 5.3

Disaster

Declarations 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 2

Emergency

Declarations 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

1

Census data for Gearheart/Seaside was identified as Seaside city. 2

Estimated population for all years except 2000; actual count was available for this year.

Oregon Tables
 20

Washington Tables

Geographic Characteristics

State land area (sq. mi): 66,544 % of U.S.: 1.88

Coastline (mi): 157 Shoreline (mi): 3,026

County equivalents: 39 Coastal: 19 Marine: 13

2000 Sex by Age: State of Washington and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

M

Total F

Under

5

5 to

14

15 to

24

25 to

34

35 to

44

45 to

54

55 to

64

65 to

74

75 to

84

85

and

over

49.8%

Washington 5,894,121 50.2% 6.7% 14.6% 13.9% 14.3% 16.5% 14.4% 8.4% 5.7% 4.1% 1.4%

Fishing 49.8%

Communities 222,833 50.2% 6.0% 14.4% 14.4% 12.1% 14.3% 14.5% 9.8% 7.2% 5.3% 2.0%

2000 Race and Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity: Washington and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

Race Ethnicity

Total

Population White

Black or

African

American

American

Indian and

Alaska

Native

Asian

Native

Hawaiian

and other

Pacific

Islander

Some

other

race

Two

or

more

races

% Hispanic

or Latino

(of any race)

Washington 5,894,121 81.8% 3.2% 1.6% 5.5% 0.4% 3.9% 3.6% 7.5%

Fishing

Communities 222,833 74.0% 1.0% 17.2% 2.4% 0.2% 1.7% 3.6% 4.8%

2000 Demographic Attributes: Selected Fishing Communities Compared to State Total

Fishing

Communities

Total

Population

Median

Household

Income

% Family

Households

below

Poverty Level

% Persons

over 16 in

Labor

Force

Median

Educational

Attainment

% >5 yrs Speak

Language other

than English at

Home

Washington 5,894,121 $45,776 7.3% 66.5% Some college 14.0%

Anacortes 14,557 $41,930 6.0% 56.0% Some college 4.8%

Bellingham Bay 67,171 $32,530 9.4% 66.4% Some college 9.8%

Blaine 3,770 $36,900 10.2% 58.7% Some college 10.7%

Chinook 457 $30,417 13.2% 55.4% Some college 7.8%

Everett 91,488 $40,100 10.1% 68.8% Some college 15.8%

Ilwaco 950 $29,632 10.3% 60.3% Some college 9.3%

La Conner 761 $42,344 8.8% 66.9% Some college 4.8%

La Push1 371 $33,571 20.9% 64.3% HS graduate 2.4%

Neah Bay 794 $21,635 26.3% 66.9% Some College 10.8%

Olympia 42,514 $40,846 6.9% 67.5% Some college 9.8%

Indicators for Growth and Population Well-being in Washington

Indicator 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Population2 5,604,105 5,687,832 5,756,361 5,894,121 5,995,397 6,070,176 6,130,323 6,205,535 6,291,899 6,395,798

Building

Permits 41,089 45,727 42,752 39,021 38,345 40,200 42,825 50,089 52,988 50,033

Unemployment

Rate 4.9 4.8 4.8 5.0 6.2 7.3 7.4 6.2 5.5 4.9

Disaster

Declarations 4 2 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 2

Emergency

Declarations 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

1

Census data for La Push was identified as zip code tabulation area 98350. 2

Estimated population for all years except 2000; actual count was available for this year.
21

Western Pacific

 Hawai`i
 22

Regional Context

The state of Hawai`i, part of the Western Pacific region1, is 

composed of the 1,500 mile-long Hawai`ian Island chain. 

It contains coral atolls and reefs, as well as volcanic islands 

located between latitudes 19° N and 29° N in the Pacific 

Ocean. The Hawai`ian Island archipelago is the most isolated grouping of islands on earth; the nearest continent, 

North America, is over 2,000 miles away. Volcanic activity originating on the ocean floor continues to build new 

islands at the eastern end of the chain. Elevation above sea 

level creates many microclimates on the larger islands. For 

example, snow occurs above 13,000 ft. on the island of 

Hawai`i. 

Seven of the main Hawai`ian Islands are inhabited. The 

island of Oahu where Honolulu is located has the largest 

population at 876,156, while Ni`ihau has the smallest at 

160 persons. Important species sought by commercial 

fishermen include lobsters, mahimahi (dolphinfish), marlin, 

moonfish (opah), pomfret, scad, snappers, swordfish, tunas, 

and wahoo.

In 2007, the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument was created encompassing the 1,200 mile-long western section of the island chain ‒ an area the size of California ‒ into a vast marine sanctuary that includes habitat for 

rare and endangered species like the Hawai`ian monk seal. 

Voyagers traveling by canoe from the Cook Islands, Tahitinui, or Hiva (Marquesas Islands) settled Hawaiʼi around 

400 A.D. or earlier. The canoes were navigated without 

instruments by seafarers who depended on their observations of the ocean and sky and traditional knowledge of 

the patterns of nature. The connection between discovery 

and fishing is part of a pan-Polynesian tradition where, in 

a sense, islands were fished out of the sea. Fishermen were 

likely the most frequent discoverers of islands in ancient 

times while searching for new fishing grounds or chasing 

schools of pelagic fish. 

Native Hawai`ians used a place-based, ecosystem approach 

to manage their environments and natural resources for 

thousands of years. Islands, called mokopuni, were divided 

into districts or moku which were further divided into 

ahupua`a, sections of land that extended through dispersed 

ecological zones from mountain summits out into the 

fishing grounds, or koas. The ahupua`a were social units 

containing nearly all of the resources required for survival. 

The ahupua`a system lasted until the early 1800s, when 

western concepts of property rights began to take root in 

Hawai`i.

________________________________

1The territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the 

Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas are also part of 

the Western Pacific Region, but are not included in this 

publication. 

Europeans first contacted the Hawai`ian Islands in 1778 

when the Englishman Captain Cook arrived. He was followed by whaling fleets from around the world throughout 

the 19th century. Hawai`i became a United States territory 

in 1900 and the 50th state in 1959. 

The city of Honolulu, on Oahu, is the home port for the 

Hawai`i-based longline fishing fleet, responsible for the 

majority of commercial fish landed in Hawai`i. The longline 

fleet primarily targets bigeye tuna but also catches yellowfin, swordfish, other pelagic species, and numerous sharks 

‒ nearly all of which are released. Longline vessel ownership is divided along ethnic lines ‒75% are split about 

equally between Vietnamese-American operators and those 

of European descent, and 25% are operated by KoreanAmericans. The three ethnic groups tend to have different 

operational practices, attitudes toward regulations, and social networks, although there are differences within ethnic 

groups.

Fishing comprises a relatively small component of the state 

of Hawai`iʼs total economy but is nevertheless economically 

important to some local communities. Small-scale commercial fishermen sell a portion of their catch, and then divide 

the remaining fish among family and friends, an important 

cultural and social obligation around which intimate social 

networks develop and are perpetuated through time. The 

vast majority of small-scale commercial fishing vessels are 

trailered (transported by a trailer), allowing fishermen to 

launch at diverse sites. 

Recreational fishing is an important part of the Hawai`ian 

Islands recreational culture and contributes to the tourism 

economy in many locations. Hawai`i is known as the blue 

marlin trolling capital of the world. The annual Hawai`i International Billfish Tournament has been held for the past 

45 years in Kona, Hawai`i, which is also a center for charter fishing in the state. Fishing clubs and tournaments are 

an important social aspect of recreational fishing, bringing 

Weigh-in during an Ahi Fever tournament, Oahu Island, Hawai`i

Western Pacific Summary
23

Western Pacific Region

together people from several diverse social and economic 

groups who may otherwise not interact on a regular basis.

Fishing Communities Facts

 Fishing communities in Hawai`i correspond to a

single island. Oahu and Hawai`i (the Big Island) are

each also counties, while Kauai County consists of

two islands and Maui County of three.

 Since 1992, Honolulu has frequently been among

the top ten U.S. ports in economic value of landings.

 In 2006, Honolulu ranked only 38th in quantity of fish

landed (20.9 million pounds) but 4th in value ($54.6

million), reflecting strong market demand for fresh

fish.

Role of subsistence fishing

 In Hawai`i, the distinction blurs between

commercial, recreational, and subsistence fishing

since it only costs $50 for residents to buy a

commercial marine fishing license allowing the sale

of fish.

Seafood consumption

 Consumption of recreationally-caught fish is very

important. Hawai`i has the lowest rate of catch and

release of recreational fish in the nation.

Native Hawai`ians

 Ni`ihau is a private island inhabited primarily by

Native Hawai`ians who strive to maintain traditional

customs and fisheries management practices.

 Native Hawai`ians used a plac-e-based, ecosystem

approach to manage their environments and natural

resources for thousands of years. Some see it as a

model to adapt and include in some aspects of

modern ecosystem-based management on islands in

the Western Pacific today.

The Fishing Communities

Fishing communities in the State of Hawai`i are defined 

as the main inhabited islands which are Hawai`i, Kauai, 

Lana`i, Maui, Moloka`i, Ni`ihau, and Oahu. The three less 

populated islands (Lana`i, Moloka`i, and Ni`ihau) have 

fewer than 7,500 inhabitants each; Kauai, Maui, and 

Hawai`i have 58,000, 118,000, and 149,000 inhabitants, 

respectively. Oahu has 876,000 inhabitants. 

Fishing activity including locations for landing fish, 

supplying fishing vessels, and location of fishermenʼs 

residences are often localized in sub-areas of each island. 

In 2006, Honolulu was ranked 4th on the list of U.S. top 50 

ports based on landings revenue. On average, from 1997-

2006, Hawai`i accounted for 2% of U.S. landings revenue. 

Community Resiliency, Growth and Well Being

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 9.2% of families in the 

U.S. live below the poverty line, the median income level 

is $42,000, and 18% of residents over five years of age 

speak a language other than English at home. Relative 

to the U.S. as a whole, Hawai`i has a lower percentage of 

families living in poverty (7.6%), a higher median income 

level ($50,000), and a higher number of residents older 

than five who speak a language other than English at home 

(26.6%). More information on these and other factors that 

may affect community resiliency are discussed below.

Family household poverty rates vary across Hawai`i. The 

islands of Molokaʼi (15.8%) and Hawai`i (11%) have poverty rates exceeding the national rate. The poverty rates of 

the other islands vary from 0% to 8.5%. All of the islands 

have a relatively high percentage of residents who speak a 

language other than English at home, ranging from a low in 

Hawai`i of 18.4% (just above the national rate) to 93.1% in 

Niʼihau. 

The state population grew 8.1% between1997 and 2006. 

The number of building permits issued grew 105% and the 

unemployment rate declined 57% for this period, falling 

from 5.8% in 1997 to 2.5% in 2006; the lowest unemployment rate among the coastal states. From 2005-2006, the 

number of building permits issued decreased 23.4%. There 

were four disaster declarations during the 1997-2006 time 

period and no emergency declarations. 

List of Fishing Communities and Ports

The following list contains fishing communities and ports 

that have been identified by NMFS social science staff as 

having ties to commercial and/or recreational fisheries in 

the Western Pacific region. With the exceptions of Kaua`i 

and Maui which have multiple fishing communities, each 

Hawai`ian island is defined as a fishing community. Profiles 

of these communities will be available in late 2008 at the 

Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center website: http://

www.pifsc.noaa.gov.

Hawai`i

Hawai`i

Kauai

Lana`i

Maui

Moloka`i

Ni`ihau

Oahu
 24

Geographic Characteristics

State land area (sq. mi): 6,423 % of U.S.: 0.18

Coastline (mi): 750 Shoreline (mi): 1,052

County equivalents: 5 Coastal: 5 Marine: 5

2000 Sex by Age: State of Hawai`i and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

M

Total F

Under

5

5 to

14

15 to

24

25 to

34

35 to

44

45 to

54

55 to

64

65 to

74

75 to

84

85

and

over

50.2%

Hawai`i 1,211,537 49.8% 6.5% 13.9% 13.6% 14.1% 15.8% 14.1% 8.8% 7.0% 4.8% 1.4%

Fishing 49.6%

Communities 1,211,537 50.4% 7.4% 16.6% 12.9% 12.6% 15.7% 14.0% 8.7% 6.2% 4.6% 1.4%

2000 Race and Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity: Hawai`i and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

Race Ethnicity

Total

Population White

Black or

African

American

American

Indian and

Alaska

Native

Asian

Native

Hawaiian

and other

Pacific

Islander

Some

other

race

Two or

more

races

%

Hispanic

or Latino

(of any

race)

Hawai`i 1,211,537 24.3% 1.8% 0.3% 41.6% 9.4% 1.3% 21.4% 7.2%

Fishing

Communities 1,211,537 21.0% 0.6% 0.3% 33.1% 21.2% 0.8% 23.1% 6.5%

2000 Demographic Attributes: Selected Fishing Communities Compared to State Total

Fishing

Communities1

Total

Population

Median

Household

Income

% Family

Households

below

Poverty Level

% Persons

over 16 in

Labor

Force

Median

Educational

Attainment

% >5 yrs Speak

Language other

than English at

Home

Hawai`i 1,211,537 $49,820 7.6% 64.5% Some college 26.6%

Hawai`i

2 148,677 $39,805 11.0% 61.7% Some college 18.4%

Honolulu (Oahu)3 876,156 $51,914 7.0% 64.7% Some college 28.9%

Kauai

4 58,303 $45,057 8.4% 63.1% Some college 19.4%

Lana`i

5 3,193 $43,271 8.5% 65.9% HS graduate 37.6%

Maui

6 117,644 $50,546 7.1% 67.3% Some college 23.8%

Moloka`i

7 7,404 $32,906 15.8% 56.9% HS graduate 23.2%

Ni`ihau8 160 $25,927 0.0% 80.9% HS graduate 93.1%

Indicators for Growth and Population Well-being in Hawai`i

Indicator 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Population9 1,189,322 1,190,472 1,185,497 1,211,537 1,221,419 1,233,249 1,245,606 1,259,299 1,273,278 1,285,498

Building

Permits 3,676 3,324 4,211 4,905 4,790 5,902 7,284 9,034 9,828 7,530

Unemployment

Rate 5.8 5.7 5.0 4.0 4.2 4.0 3.9 3.2 2.7 2.5

Disaster

Declarations 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2

Emergency

Declarations 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

1

Fishing communities in Hawai`i correspond to a single island and each island is usually a county. Kauai and Maui islands are

exceptions; each has multiple fishing communities. 2

Census data for Hawai`i was identified as Hawai`i County. 3

Census data for Honolulu (Oahu) was identified as Honolulu County. 4

Census data for Kauai was identified as Kauai County minus Census Tract 410 (Kauai County). 5

Census data for Lana`i was identified as Census Tract 316 in Maui County. 6

Census data for Maui was identified as Maui County minus Census Tracts 316, 317, and 318 (Maui County). 7

Census data for Moloka`i was identified as Census Tracts 318 and 317 (Maui County) and Census Tract 319 (Kalawao County). 8

Census data for Ni`ihau was identified as Census Tract 410 in Kauai County. 9

Estimated population for all years except 2000; actual count was available for this year.

Hawai`i Tables
25

New England

 Connecticut

 Maine

 Massachusetts

 New Hampshire

Rhode Island
 26

Regional Context

The New England region includes Connecticut, Maine, 

Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. These 

states combined share 473 miles of coastline: 13 miles 

to New Hampshire, 40 miles to Rhode Island, 192 miles 

to Massachusetts, and 228 miles to Maine. Connecticut 

has no ocean coastline but does have 618 miles of the 

regionʼs tidal shoreline on Long Island Sound and its 

inlets. Many sounds, bays, inlets, islands and related 

features characterize the coastal area of these states. Some 

examples are: Nantucket Sound; Cape Cod, Casco, and 

Penobscot Bays; and the Gulf of Maine with its historically 

rich fishing grounds including Georges Bank. Marthaʼs 

Vineyard and Nantucket, Massachusetts, and Vinalhaven, 

Deer Isle, and Mt. Desert, Maine are some larger islands 

among the many that characterize this region, particularly 

along the Maine coast. The regionʼs 6,130 miles of tidal 

shoreline is distributed as follows: New Hampshire (131 

miles); Rhode Island (384 miles); Connecticut (618 miles); 

Massachusetts (1,519 miles); and Maine (3,478 miles).

As one of the areas of oldest European settlement in 

North America, the regionʼs fisheries have been very 

important historically. The cod fisheries helped feed 

Europeʼs industrial revolution, and were an important 

part of the 17th through early 19th centuryʼs trade route 

between Africa, the Caribbean, North America, and Europe. 

New Englandʼs whalers ‒ especially from New Bedford, 

Fairhaven, Provincetown, and Nantucket, Massachusetts 

‒ hunted their prey around the world to provide the 

primary source of oil used for domestic lighting, among 

other products, beginning in the Colonial era and extending 

into the early 19th century. Ethnic groups particularly 

associated with the regionʼs commercial fishing include the 

Portuguese in New Bedford and Provincetown, the Sicilians 

in Gloucester, and the Norwegians in New Bedford ‒ all 

Massachusetts fishing communities ‒ and the “Yankees” 

(actually white Protestants of British descent), and to a 

small extent, the Acadians (French) in Maine. 

Multiple factors have led to reduced commercial fishing 

in this region over the past twenty years including stock 

depletion, changes in fishing regulations, and pollution. 

Loss of commercial fishing infrastructure to alternative 

uses also increasingly constrains commercial fishing. 

All these factors are changing the nature of fishing 

communities. Gentrification and tourism are factors in 

communities such as Chatham, Marblehead, and Scituate, 

Massachusetts; Stonington, Connecticut; Little Compton, 

Rhode Island; and Vinalhaven, Maine. Many processors 

and fish houses have ceased operating in the last decade 

and most rely on imported rather than local product. A 

recent buyout of the last herring and sardine cannery left 

in Maine, a plant in Corea (a village within the town of 

Gouldsboro) will likely mean a switch away from local to 

imported product. 

Saltwater recreational fishing is found along the entire 

coast. In 2006, Massachusetts received the most saltwater 

recreational fishing trips, followed by Connecticut, Rhode 

Island, New Hampshire, and Maine. Among the top fishing 

communities that service saltwater anglers are New 

London, Connecticut, and Fall River and Marblehead, 

Massachusetts, offering a variety of shoreside support 

services. Sportfish tournaments are held in the top 

fishing communities of Groton, Connecticut and Scituate, 

Massachusetts, as well as in other communities such as 

Waterford, Connecticut; Bailey Island, and Swans Island, 

Maine; Barnstable, Danvers, and Marshfield, Massachusetts; 

and Block Island and Wakefield, Rhode Island. 

A large number of the regionʼs fishing communities host 

seafood festivals and fishing-related festivals such as 

blessings of the fleet in the warmer months, including 

the communities of Point Judith, Newport, and North 

Kingstown, Rhode Island; New Bedford, Gloucester, 

Marblehead, Sandwich, Provincetown, and Scituate, 

Massachusetts; New London, Connecticut; Hampton/

Seabrook and Portsmouth, New Hampshire; and Winter 

Harbor, Bar Harbor, Portland, and Rockland, Maine.

The Fishing Communities

Overall, 11 fishing communities in Connecticut, 50 in 

Maine, 29 in Massachusetts, 7 in New Hampshire, and 

12 in Rhode Island have been profiled by NMFS social 

scientists because of the nature of their links with 

commercial and/or recreational fishing. In 2006, 5 of 

the United Statesʼ top 50 ports by pounds landed were 

located in the New England region. They are: Gloucester 

and Provincetown-Chatham, Massachusetts; Point Judith, 

New England Summary

A pier crowded with fishing gear, Beals Island, Maine
27

New England Region

Fishing Communities Facts

 Gloucester, Massachusetts has been a fishing

community continuously since its founding in 1623.

 Boston’s Fish Pier, which opened in 1914, is the oldest

continuously operating fish pier in the U.S.

 There is a lot of support for the fishing industry by

state and local governments, as indicated by special

loan programs and support for town docks in many

communities.

 The “Man at the Wheel” statue of the Gloucester

Fishermen’s Memorial is one of the most famous

fishing monuments in the U.S.

 Marblehead, Massachusetts is known as the “Yachting

Capital of America.”

Historical context

 John Cabot, in his 1497 voyage to the new world,

discovered huge schools of cod which soon attracted

European fishermen, including the Norwegians, the

Portuguese, the British, and the French – ethnicities

still represented in today’s fishing communities.

 In the late 1800s, a portion of income derived from

fishing licenses in Plymouth, Massachusetts was set

aside for public schools.

 In 1877 the states with the most ocean fishermen

were Massachusetts with 17,106 men and Maine with

8,110.

Fishing activities

 New Bedford, Massachusetts had the highest landed

value from commercial fishing among all ports in the

entire United States from 2000 to 2006.

 In 2006, there were 4,187 vessels with a Northeast

federal permit whose owners lived in New England,

but 2,261 vessels which landed in New England.

Fishing-related activities

 There are a number of active fishermen’s and

fishermen’s wives associations in the region. One of

the oldest (founded in 1954) and largest (1,200

members in 2006) is the Maine Lobstermen’s

Association.

 Provincetown, Massachusetts has the largest and

safest harbor in New England.

 New England includes critical habitat for northern

right whales and habitat for harbor porpoises,

impacting fishermen in those areas.

Seascape

 Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary and four

National Estuarine Research Reserves are found in

New England waters.

Rhode Island; and Portland and Stonington, Maine. 

Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, the New England region 

accounted for only 7% of U.S. landings from 1997-2006, 

on average. In contrast, New England accounted for 20% 

of U.S. landings revenue during this period. 

The largest metropolitan area in the New England region 

is Boston, a center for financial services and insurance for 

the fishing industry as well as the home of the Nationʼs 

oldest continuously operating fish pier. The regionʼs other 

top fishing communities that are located within urban areas 

with populations greater than 100,000 are: Providence, 

Rhode Island; and Bridgeport and New Haven, Connecticut. 

Exclusive of these large cities, the average population for 

the top fishing communities is 32,846 for Massachusetts, 

31,456 for Connecticut, and 26,175 for Rhode Island. 

Maine averages 9,979, while New Hampshire averages 

8,211. Both Maine and New Hampshireʼs top fishing 

communities are predominantly smaller communities. Eight 

of Maineʼs and four of New Hampshireʼs top ten fishing 

communities have populations of less than 8,000. Only two 

of Massachusettsʼs and one of Rhode Islandʼs top fishing 

communities have populations of less than 8,000, while 

Connecticut has none.

Community Resiliency, Growth, and Well Being 

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 9.2% of families in the 

U.S. live below the poverty line, the median income level 

is $42,000, and 18% of residents over five years of age 

speak a language other than English at home. The New 

England region has a lower percentage of families living in 

poverty, a higher median income level, and a comparable 

percentage of residents older than five who speak a 

language other than English at home relative to the U.S. as 

a whole. Not all fishing communities follow to these trends, 

however. More information on these and other factors that 

may affect community resiliency are discussed below.

Connecticut

Based upon the 2000 Census, the percentage of 

family households below the poverty level was 5.6% in 

Connecticut. New London (13.4%), Bridgeport (16.2%), 

and New Haven (20.5%) had the highest poverty rates in 

the state and among the highest in the region. The poverty 

rate in the other fishing communities was 5% or less. 

These three communities and Norwalk had the highest 

percentage of residents who spoke a language other than 

English at home (24% to 44%).

At the state level, indicators show that population has 

grown 7.2% and annual building permit issuance has fallen 

1% between 1997 and 2006. The average unemployment 

rate dropped 8%. From 2005‒2006, the number of 

building permits fell 22%. There were two disaster 

declarations and five emergency declarations during the 

1997-2006 time period.

Maine

The percentage of family households below the poverty 

rate in Maine in 2000 was 7.8%. The family household 

poverty rates in the fishing communities were generally 

lower. Portland, Rockland, and Stonington were exceptions, 

all with poverty rates at 10%. The percentage of fishing 
 28

New England Summary

Maine

Addison

Bailey Island

Bar Harbor

Bath

Beals

Belfast

Boothbay Harbor

Bremen

Bucks Harbor

Cape Porpoise

Corea

Cundys Harbor

Cushing

Cutler

Deer Isle

Eastport

Falmouth

Frenchboro

Friendship

Gouldsboro Town*

Harpswell

Islesford

Jonesport

Kennebunkport

Kittery

Milbridge

New Harbor

North Haven

Ogunquit

Owls Head

Pemaquid

Port Clyde

Portland

Prospect Harbor

community residents speaking English at home was 

generally lower than the state average, with Portland 

providing the lone exception (10%). In three of the nine 

selected fishing communities, the median education level 

was “high school.” The median education level for the state 

and the other fishing communities was “some college.” 

The state population grew 6.1% between 1997 and 

2006. In contrast, the number of building permits issued 

grew 55%. The unemployment rate fell 10%, averaging 

4.4% for the period. From 2005-2006, the number of 

building permits issued fell 19%. There were ten disaster 

declarations and ten emergency declarations during the 

1997-2006 time period. 

Massachusetts

In Massachusetts, the percentage of family households 

below the poverty line was 6.7%. Across fishing 

communities, the household poverty rate ranged from 1% 

to 17%, with five fishing communities having poverty rates 

lower than the state poverty rate. The highest poverty 

rates were in New Bedford (17%), Boston (15%), and 

Fall River (14%). These fishing communities also had the 

highest percentage of residents over five years who spoke a 

language other than English at home: 38%, 33%, and 35%, 

respectively. The median education levels for the state and 

five fishing communities was “some college.” Marblehead 

had the highest median educational attainment (“Bachelorʼs 

degree”) and Fairhaven, Fall River, and New Bedford had 

the lowest (“high school graduate”). 

State population growth between 1997 and 2006 was 5.3% 

and averaged 6.3 million. The unemployment rate (4.8% 

in 2006) increased 17%, while the issuance of building 

permits increased 14% during this period. From 2005-

2006, building permit issuance fell 20%. There were five 

disaster declarations and seven emergency declarations 

during the 1997-2006 time period. 

New Hampshire

The percentage of family households below the poverty 

line in New Hampshire was the lowest in the region 

at 4.3%. The family household poverty rate across the 

selected fishing communities was also relatively low, 

ranging from 0% to 6%. The percentage of residents 

over five years of age who spoke a language other than 

English at home was 8.3% for the state but generally 

lower across the fishing communities. New Hampshire 

fishing communities had the highest median education 

level attained, with three communities having “bachelorʼs 

degrees” as the median level attained by their residents. 

At the state level, population grew 12% between 1997 

and 2006. The average unemployment rate during this 

period was low, averaging 3.5%. The number of building 

permits issued from 1997-2006 increased 5%, falling 25% 

from 2005-2006. There were six disaster declarations and 

seven emergency declarations during the 1997-2006 time 

period. 

Rhode Island

The percentage of family households below the poverty 

line in Rhode Island was the highest in the region, 8.9%. 

The poverty rate was lower in fishing communities with the 

exceptions of Providence (24%, the highest in the region) 

and Newport (13%). The percentage of residents over five 

years of age who spoke a language other than English was 

20% for the state, also a regional high. With the exceptions 

of Providence (43%) and Bristol (21%), most fishing 

communities had a lower rate than the state rate. The 

median educational attainment of the state and all fishing 

communities was “some college.”

Rhode Islandʼs population growth was 8% between1997 

and 2006. In contrast, building permit issuance fell 11% 

for the period. The unemployment rate fell 2%, averaging 

4.9% for the period. From 2005-2006, the number of 

building permits issued fell 16%. There were no disaster 

declarations and three emergency declarations during the 

1997-2006 time period.

List of Fishing Communities and Ports

The following list contains fishing communities and ports 

that have been identified by NMFS social science staff as 

having ties to commercial and/or recreational fisheries 

in the New England region. Profiles of most of these 

communities are available at http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/

read/socialsci/community_profiles/. Profiled communities 

were chosen by regional indicators rather than by state. 

Communities listed here but not profiled are identified with 

an asterisk (*).
29

New England Region

Rockland

Saint George Town*

Sebasco Estates/Phippsburg

Sorrento

South Bristol

South Thomaston 

Southwest Harbor

Spruce Head

Stonington

Swans Island

Tenants Harbor

Tremont

Vinalhaven

Westport

Whiting

Winter Harbor

New Hampshire

Durham*

Hampton

New Castle*

Newington

Portsmouth

Rye

Seabrook

Massachusetts

Barnstable

Beverly

Boston

Chatham

Chilmark

Cohasset

Danvers

Fairhaven

Fall River

Gloucester

Harwich Port

Hull

Manchester

Marblehead

Marshfield

Nantucket

New Bedford

Newburyport

Orleans

Plymouth

Provincetown

Rockport

Salisbury

Sandwich

Saugus

Scituate

Wellfleet

Westport

Woods Hole

Rhode Island

Block Island

Bristol*

Little Compton

Newport 

North Kingstown

Point Judith/Narragansett

Portsmouth

Providence*

South Kingstown*

Tiverton Wakefield

Warren

Warwick*

Connecticut

Branford*

Bridgeport*

Darien*

East Haven*

Groton

New Haven*

New London

Norwalk*

Portland*

Stonington

Waterford
 30

Connecticut Tables

Geographic Characteristics

State land area (sq. mi): 4,845 % of U.S.: 0.14

Coastline (mi): 0 Shoreline (mi): 618

County equivalents: 8 Coastal: 8 Marine: 4

2000 Sex by Age: State of Connecticut and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

M

Total F

Under

5

5 to

14

15 to

24

25 to

34

35 to

44

45 to

54

55 to

64

65 to

74

75 to

84

85

and

over

48.4%

Connecticut 3,405,565 51.6% 6.6% 14.3% 11.9% 13.3% 17.1% 14.1% 9.1% 6.8% 5.1% 1.9%

Fishing 43.5%

Communities 514,801 46.6% 6.3% 12.6% 11.0% 12.7% 15.0% 12.1% 7.6% 6.2% 4.7% 1.6%

2000 Race and Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity: Connecticut and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

Race Ethnicity

Total

Population White

Black or

African

American

American

Indian and

Alaska

Native

Asian

Native

Hawaiian

and other

Pacific

Islander

Some

other

race

Two

or

more

races

% Hispanic

or Latino

(of any race)

Connecticut 3,405,565 81.6% 9.1% 0.3% 2.4% 0.0% 4.3% 2.2% 9.4%

Fishing

Communities 514,801 70.2% 10.8% 0.3% 2.1% 0.1% 4.2% 2.4% 10.1%

2000 Demographic Attributes: Selected Fishing Communities Compared to State Total

Fishing

Communities

Total

Population

Median

Household

Income

% Family

Households

below

Poverty

Level

% Persons

over 16 in

Labor

Force

Median

Educational

Attainment

% >5 yrs Speak

Language other

than English at

Home

Connecticut 3,405,565 $53,935 5.6% 66.6% Some college 18.3%

Branford1 28,683 $58,009 3.3% 69.9% Some college 9.0%

Bridgeport 139,529 $34,658 16.2% 61.2% HS graduate 43.5%

Darien 19,607 $146,755 0.6% 61.6% Bachelor's degree 11.4%

East Haven 28,189 $47,930 3.5% 66.9% HS graduate 12.1%

Groton2 39,907 $46,154 4.9% 70.9% Some college 9.0%

New Haven 123,626 $29,604 20.5% 60.0% Some college 28.4%

New London 25,671 $33,809 13.4% 65.8% Some college 23.6%

Norwalk 82,951 $59,839 5.0% 70.8% Some college 26.8%

Portland3 8,732 $63,285 3.0% 71.9% Some college 8.4%

Stonington4 17,906 $52,437 2.9% 65.0% Some college 7.5%

Indicators for Growth and Population Well-being in Connecticut

Indicator 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Population5 3,268,514 3,272,563 3,282,031 3,405,565 3,433,201 3,457,927 3,482,326 3,493,893 3,500,701 3,504,809

Building

Permits 9,311 11,863 10,637 9,376 9,290 9,731 10,435 11,837 11,885 9,236

Unemployment

Rate 4.8 3.2 2.7 2.3 3.1 4.4 5.5 4.9 4.9 4.4

Disaster

Declarations 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

Emergency

Declarations 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 1

1

Census data for Branford was identified as Branford town in the New Haven County subdivision. 2

Census data for Groton was identified as Groton town in the New London County subdivision. 3

Census data for Portland was identified as Portland town in the Middlesex County subdivision. 4

Census data for Stonington was identified as Stonington town in the New London County subdivision. 5

Estimated population for all years except 2000; actual count was available for this year.
31

Maine Tables

Geographic Characteristics

State land area (sq. mi): 30,862 % of U.S.: 0.87

Coastline (mi): 228 Shoreline (mi): 3,478

County equivalents: 16 Coastal: 14 Marine: 8

2000 Sex by Age: State of Maine and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

M

Total F

Under

5

5 to

14

15 to

24

25 to

34

35 to

44

45 to

54

55 to

64

65 to

74

75 to

84

85

and

over

48.7%

Maine 1,274,923 51.3% 5.5% 13.7% 12.5% 12.4% 16.7% 15.1% 9.7% 7.5% 5.0% 1.8%

Fishing 48.2%

Communities 89,813 51.8% 5.5% 12.4% 11.5% 12.7% 15.3% 14.8% 10.5% 9.2% 6.0% 2.1%

2000 Race and Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity: Maine and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

Race Ethnicity

Total

Population White

Black or

African

American

American

Indian and

Alaska

Native

Asian

Native

Hawaiian

and other

Pacific

Islander

Some

other

race

Two

or

more

races

% Hispanic

or Latino

(of any race)

Maine 1,274,923 96.9% 0.5% 0.6% 0.7% 0.0% 0.2% 1.0% 0.7%

Fishing

Communities 89,813 96.1% 0.7% 0.4% 0.8% 0.0% 0.4% 1.7% 0.7%

2000 Demographic Attributes: Selected Fishing Communities Compared to State Total

Fishing

Communities

Total

Population

Median

Household

Income

% Family

Households

below

Poverty Level

% Persons

over 16 in

Labor

Force

Median

Educational

Attainment

% >5 yrs Speak

Language other

than English at

Home

Maine 1,274,923 $37,240 7.8% 65.3% Some college 7.8%

Bar Harbor 4,820 $37,481 4.9% 66.9% Some college 4.8%

Cundys Harbor1 5,239 $40,611 3.3% 59.5% Some college 6.9%

Port Clyde2 2,580 $41,211 3.8% 60.6% Some college 2.5%

Portland 64,249 $35,650 9.7% 69.1% Some college 9.9%

Prospect Harbor

3 1,941 $36,542 7.0% 60.5% HS graduate 4.0%

Rockland 7,609 $30,209 10.4% 63.0% Some college 3.7%

Stonington4 1,152 $28,894 9.6% 52.4% HS graduate 3.2%

Vinalhaven 1,235 $34,087 5.7% 53.9% HS graduate 4.0%

Winter Harbor5 988 $28,571 5.5% 67.7% Some college 5.9%

Indicators for Growth and Population Well-being in Maine

Indicator 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Population6 1,245,215 1,247,554 1,253,040 1,274,923 1,286,419 1,296,817 1,307,151 1,313,921 1,318,220 1,321,574

Building

Permits 4,706 6,280 5,688 6,177 6,492 7,207 7,933 8,771 8,969 7,293

Unemployment

Rate 5.1 4.5 4.0 3.3 3.8 4.4 5.0 4.6 4.8 4.6

Disaster

Declarations 0 2 2 1 1 0 1 1 1 1

Emergency

Declarations 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 5 1

1

Census data for Cundys Harbor was identified as Harpswell town in the Cumberland County subdivision. Harpswell town also includes

Harpswell, South Harpswell, Bailey Island, and Orrs Island. 2

Census data for Port Clyde was identified as St. George town in the Knox County subdivision. St. George town also includes Tenants

Harbor. 3

Census data for Prospect Harbor was identified as Gouldsboro town in the Hancock County subdivision. Gouldsboro town also includes

Gouldsboro, Corea, and Birch. 4

Census data for Stonington was identified as Stonington town in the Hancock County subdivision. 5

Census data for Winter Harbor was identified as Winter Harbor town in the Hancock County subdivision. 6

Estimated population for all years except 2000; actual count was available for this year.
 32

Massachusetts Tables

Geographic Characteristics

State land area (sq. mi): 7,840 % of U.S.: 0.22

Coastline (mi): 192 Shoreline (mi): 1,519

County equivalents: 14 Coastal: 12 Marine: 8

2000 Sex by Age: State of Massachusetts and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

M

Total F

Under

5

5 to

14

15 to

24

25 to

34

35 to

44

45 to

54

55 to

64

65 to

74

75 to

84

85

and

over

48.2%

Massachusetts 6,349,097 51.8% 6.3% 13.6% 12.9% 14.6% 16.7% 13.8% 8.6% 6.7% 5.0% 1.8%

Fishing 48.2%

Communities 884,753 51.8% 5.4% 12.3% 10.7% 12.5% 16.6% 15.1% 10.1% 8.6% 6.4% 2.5%

2000 Race and Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity: Massachusetts and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

Race Ethnicity

Total

Population White

Black or

African

American

American

Indian and

Alaska

Native

Asian

Native

Hawaiian

and other

Pacific

Islander

Some

other

race

Two

or

more

races

% Hispanic

or Latino

(of any race)

Massachusetts 6,349,097 84.5% 5.4% 0.2% 3.8% 0.0% 3.7% 2.3% 6.8%

Fishing

Communities 884,753 89.2% 4.4% 0.3% 1.4% 0.0% 2.5% 2.2% 0.3%

2000 Demographic Attributes: Selected Fishing Communities Compared to State Total

Fishing

Communities

Total

Population

Median

Household

Income

% Family

Households

below

Poverty Level

% Persons

over 16 in

Labor Force

Median

Educational

Attainment

% >5 yrs

Speak

Language

other than

English at

Home

Massachusetts 6,349,097 $50,502 6.7% 66.2% Some college 18.7%

Boston 589,141 $39,629 15.3% 63.6% Some college 33.4%

Chatham 1,667 $47,037 0.9% 51.6% Some college 4.9%

Fairhaven1 16,159 $41,696 6.5% 63.3% HS graduate 10.6%

Fall River 91,938 $29,014 14.0% 59.1% HS graduate 34.6%

Gloucester 30,273 $47,722 7.1% 66.1% Some college 10.3%

Marblehead 20,377 $73,968 3.2% 68.7% Bachelor's degree 7.3%

New Bedford 93,768 $27,569 17.3% 57.7% HS graduate 37.8%

Provincetown2 3,431 $32,716 8.5% 64.2% Some college 9.9%

Sandwich3 20,136 $61,250 2.2% 66.8% Some college 4.6%

Scituate4 17,863 $70,868 1.4% 67.6% Some college 5.5%

Indicators for Growth and Population Well-being in Massachusetts

Indicator 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Population5 6,115,476 6,144,407 6,175,169 6,349,097 6,406,727 6,431,247 6,439,592 6,435,995 6,433,367 6,437,193

Building

Permits 17,186 19,254 18,967 18,000 17,034 17,465 20,257 22,477 24,549 19,580

Unemployment

Rate 4.1 3.4 3.3 2.8 3.7 5.3 5.8 5.2 4.9 4.8

Disaster

Declarations 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 1

Emergency

Declarations 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 3 0

1

Census data for Fairhaven was identified as Fairhaven town in the Bristol County subdivision. 2

Census data for Provincetown was identified as Provincetown town in the Barnstable County subdivision. 3

Census data for Sandwich was identified as Sandwich town in the Barnstable County subdivision. 4

Census data for Scituate was identified as Scituate town in the Plymouth County subdivision. 5

Estimated population for all years except 2000; actual count was available for this year.
33

New Hampshire Tables

Geographic Characteristics

State land area (sq. mi): 8,969 % of U.S.: 0.25

Coastline (mi): 13 Shoreline (mi): 131

County equivalents: 10 Coastal: 6 Marine: 1

2000 Sex by Age: State of New Hampshire and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

M

Total F

Under

5

5 to

14

15 to

24

25 to

34

35 to

44

45 to

54

55 to

64

65 to

74

75 to

84

85

and

over

New 49.2%

Hampshire 1,235,786 50.8% 6.1% 14.7% 12.6% 13.0% 17.9% 14.9% 8.9% 6.3% 4.2% 1.5%

Fishing 48.2%

Communities 57,475 51.8% 4.6% 11.7% 15.3% 10.7% 15.8% 15.2% 11.0% 8.8% 5.3% 1.2%

2000 Race and Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity: New Hampshire and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

Race Ethnicity

Total

Population White

Black or

African

American

American

Indian and

Alaska

Native

Asian

Native

Hawaiian

and other

Pacific

Islander

Some

other

race

Two

or

more

races

% Hispanic

or Latino

(of any race)

New

Hampshire 1,235,786 96.0% 0.7% 0.2% 1.3% 0.0% 0.6% 1.1% 1.7%

Fishing

Communities 57,475 96.6% 0.8% 0.2% 1.3% 0.0% 0.2% 0.9% 0.4%

2000 Demographic Attributes: Selected Fishing Communities Compared to State Total

Fishing

Communities

Total

Population

Median

Household

Income

% Family

Households

below Poverty

Level

%

Persons

over 16

in Labor

Force

Median

Educational

Attainment

% >5 yrs Speak

Language other

than English at

Home

New

Hampshire 1,235,786 $49,467 4.3% 70.5% Some college 8.3%

Durham1 12,664 $51,697 2.8% 61.0% Bachelor's degree 8.4%

Hampton 9,126 $57,356 1.9% 69.1% Some college 6.7%

New Castle2 1,010 $83,708 0.0% 57.6% Bachelor's degree 6.1%

Newington3 775 $59,464 5.0% 75.8% Some college 7.7%

Portsmouth 20,784 $45,195 6.4% 69.9% Some college 6.6%

Rye4 5,182 $63,152 1.6% 59.9% Bachelor's degree 5.3%

Seabrook5 7,934 $42,874 6.1% 69.3% HS graduate 5.5%

Indicators for Growth and Population Well-being in New Hampshire

Indicator 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Population6 1,173,239 1,185,823 1,201,134 1,235,786 1,258,408 1,273,970 1,285,918 1,297,961 1,306,819 1,314,895

Building

Permits 5,404 5,771 6,326 6,680 6,624 8,708 8,641 8,653 7,586 5,677

Unemployment

Rate 3.1 2.9 2.8 2.7 3.4 4.6 4.5 3.9 3.6 3.5

Disaster

Declarations 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1

Emergency

Declarations 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 4 0

1

Census data for Durham was identified as Durham town in the Strafford County subdivision. 2

Census data for New Castle was identified as New Castle town in the Rockingham County subdivision. 3

Census data for Newington was identified as Newington town in the Rockingham County subdivision. 4

Census data for Rye was identified as Rye town in the Rockingham County subdivision. 5

Census data for Seabrook was identified as Seabrook town in the Rockingham County subdivision. 6

Estimated population for all years except 2000; actual count was available for this year.
 34

Rhode Island Tables

Geographic Characteristics

State land area (sq. mi): 1,045 % of U.S.: 0.03

Coastline (mi): 40 Shoreline (mi): 384

County equivalents: 5 Coastal: 5 Marine: 4

2000 Sex by Age: State of Rhode Island and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

M

Total F

Under

5

5 to

14

15 to

24

25 to

34

35 to

44

45 to

54

55 to

64

65 to

74

75 to

84

85

and

over

48.0%

Rhode Island 1,048,319 52.0% 6.1% 13.7% 14.1% 13.4% 16.2% 13.5% 8.5% 7.0% 5.5% 2.0%

Fishing 48.2%

Communities 409,191 51.8% 5.5% 12.7% 15.3% 12.3% 15.8% 14.3% 9.3% 7.4% 5.4% 1.9%

2000 Race and Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity: Rhode Island and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

Race Ethnicity

Total

Population White

Black or

African

American

American

Indian and

Alaska

Native

Asian

Native

Hawaiian

and other

Pacific

Islander

Some

other

race

Two

or

more

races

% Hispanic

or Latino

(of any race)

Rhode Island 1,048,319 85.0% 4.5% 0.5% 2.3% 0.1% 5.0% 2.7% 8.7%

Fishing

Communities 409,191 90.7% 2.9% 0.6% 1.5% 0.1% 2.3% 1.9% 0.4%

2000 Demographic Attributes: Selected Fishing Communities Compared to State Total

Fishing

Communities

Total

Population

Median

Household

Income

% Family

Households

below

Poverty Level

%

Persons

over 16

in Labor

Force

Median

Educational

Attainment

% >5 yrs Speak

Language other

than English at

Home

Rhode Island 1,048,319 $42,090 8.9% 64.6% Some college 20.0%

Bristol 22,469 $43,689 5.2% 63.6% Some college 21.4%

Little Compton1 3,593 $55,368 3.7% 65.4% Some college 5.6%

Newport 26,475 $40,669 12.9% 70.1% Some college 9.6%

North Kingstown2 26,326 $60,027 5.8% 71.9% Some college 6.4%

Point Judith3 16,361 $50,363 4.9% 67.0% Some college 5.6%

Providence 173,618 $26,867 23.9% 57.7% Some college 43.0%

South Kingstown4 27,921 $56,325 3.1% 67.4% Some college 10.2%

Tiverton5 15,260 $49,977 2.9% 66.9% Some college 10.3%

Warren6 11,360 $41,285 5.2% 67.0% Some college 13.3%

Warwick 85,808 $46,483 4.2% 66.5% Some college 7.9%

Indicators for Growth and Population Well-being in Rhode Island

Indicator 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Population7 986,966 987,704 990,819 1,048,319 1,058,510 1,068,568 1,074,783 1,078,930 1,073,579 1,067,610

Building Permits 2,672 2,642 3,414 2,596 2,407 2,848 2,286 2,532 2,836 2,370

Unemployment

Rate 5.2 4.6 4.2 4.2 4.5 5.1 5.4 5.2 5.1 5.1

Disaster

Declarations 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Emergency

Declarations 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0

1

Census data for Little Compton was identified as Little Compton town in the Newport County subdivision. 2

Census data for North Kingstown was identified as North Kingstown in the Washington County subdivision. 3

Census data for Point Judith was identified as Narragansett town in the Washington County subdivision. 4

Census data for South Kingstown was identified as South Kingstown town in the Washington County subdivision. 5

Census data for Tiverton was identified as Tiverton town in the Newport County subdivision. 6

Census data for Warren was identified as Warren town in the Bristol County subdivision. 7

Estimated population for all years except 2000; actual count was available for this year.
35

Mid-Atlantic

 Delaware

 Maryland

 New Jersey

 New York

 Virginia
 36

Regional Context

The Mid-Atlantic region includes Delaware, Maryland, New 

Jersey, New York, and Virginia. These states combined 

share 428 miles of coastline: 130 miles in New Jersey, 

127 miles in New York, 112 miles in Virginia, 31 miles in 

Maryland, and 28 miles in Delaware. Many sounds, bays, 

inlets, and related features characterize the coastal area of 

these states such as the Chesapeake Bay and Long Island 

Sound. Although the regionʼs seacoast is not particularly 

lengthy, it shares 10,528 miles of tidal shoreline 

distributed among the states as follows: Virginia, 3,315 

miles; Maryland, 3,190 miles; New York, 1,850 miles; New 

Jersey, 1,792 miles; and Delaware, 381 miles. The most 

commercially important species today in the Mid-Atlantic 

region are sea scallop, blue crab, surf clam, menhaden, 

quahog (inshore), summer flounder, striped bass, lobster, 

squid (loligo), and monkfish.

Historically, the Chesapeake Bay has had one of the 

Nationʼs and the regionʼs more productive commercial 

fisheries dominated by blue crab and oysters, but also 

including finfish like striped bass. Many Maryland 

and some Virginia fishing communities are located on 

its tidal creeks and islands. Examples include: Smith 

Island, Solomons, and Deale, Maryland; and Reedville, 

Wachapreague, and Cheriton, Virginia. Today many of 

these areas provide recreational fishing opportunities and 

second homes for people from metropolitan Washington, 

D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland, and increasingly primary 

homes for others. This is another local example of the 

national trend of population movement to coastal zones. 

Both shores of the Chesapeake Bay and the whole 

Delaware/Maryland/Virginia or “Delmarva” Peninsula are 

undergoing transformation, impacting local fisheries and 

fishing communities. Commercial fisheries production in 

the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries is in decline for 

complex reasons including pollution from agriculture 

and urban expansion throughout its vast watershed, 

and species-specific disease. The Chesapeake Bay areaʼs 

experience is typical of the region as a whole. 

Loss of commercial fishing infrastructure to alternate uses 

increasingly constrains commercial fishing and is changing 

the nature of fishing communities. Gentrification and 

tourism are factors in communities including: Barnegat 

Light/Long Beach, Belford, and Atlantic City, New Jersey; 

Greenport and Hampton Bays/Shinnecock, New York; 

Lewes, Delaware; Ocean City, Maryland; and Hampton, 

Virginia. Many processors and fish houses have ceased 

operating in the last decade. Some examples of fishing 

communities where this is happening include Chincoteague 

and Norfolk, Virginia and Ocean City, Maryland. 

Saltwater recreational fishing is found along the entire 

coast and its importance is increasing. In 2006, New Jersey 

received the most saltwater recreational fishing trips, 

followed by New York, Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware. 

Among the top fishing communities that service saltwater 

anglers are Barnegat Light/Long Beach, Point Pleasant, and 

Belmar, New Jersey; Mattituck and Montauk, New York; 

Lewes and Indian River, Delaware; Ocean City, Maryland; 

and Hampton, Newport News, Wachapreague, and 

Chincoteague, Virginia. These offer a variety of shoreside 

support services as well as sportfish tournaments. 

A large number of the regionʼs fishing communities host 

seafood festivals and fishing-related festivals such as blessings of the fleet in the warmer months. Examples include 

the communities of Lewes, Delaware; Ocean City, Maryland; 

Atlantic City, Avalon, Barnegat Light/Long Beach, Belmar, 

Cape May, and Point Pleasant, New Jersey; Greenport, 

Oceanside, Point Lookout, Mattituck, and Montauk, New 

York; and Chincoteague, Hampton, Newport News, and 

Seaford, Virginia.

The Fishing Communities

Overall, 58 fishing communities have been profiled by 

NMFS social scientists because of the nature of their 

links with commercial and/or recreational fishing in the 

Mid-Atlantic region. These communities are distributed 

as follows: Delaware, 5 communities; Maryland, 9 

communities; New Jersey, 17 communities; New York, 

13 communities; North Carolina, 24 communities; 

Pennsylvania, 2 communities; and Virginia, 12 

communities.1 In 2006, six of the United Statesʼ top 50 

________________________________

1Neither North Carolina nor Pennsylvania are included 

in this regional summary. North Carolina is described in 

the South Atlantic Regional Summary. Pennsylvania was 

omitted here due to its limited engagement in marinerelated commercial harvest and recreational fishing 

sectors. Most of Marylandʼs fishing communities were 

identified by non-NMFS regional specialists because most 

fisheries landings are not tied to ports in that state.

Mid-Atlantic Summary

Fresh fish and seafood at The New Fulton Fish Market, Bronx, New York
37

Mid-Atlantic Region

ports by pounds landed were located in the Mid-Atlantic 

region. They are: Reedville and Hampton Roads, Virginia; 

Cape May-Wildwood, Atlantic City, and Point Pleasant, New 

Jersey; and Montauk, New York.

Several major metropolitan areas are located in the MidAtlantic region, a center of population for the United 

States. The regionʼs top fishing communities located within 

larger urban areas are all located in Virginia. They include 

Virginia Beach, Richmond, Newport News, and Hampton. 

Another seven of the regionʼs top fishing communities are 

smaller cities between 10,000 and 41,000 population. 

Some examples include Atlantic City and Point Pleasant, 

New Jersey, and Oceanside and Hampton Bays, New York. 

The remaining top fishing communities have populations 

of 7,000 or less and are located as follows: Maryland 

has seven and New Jersey has eight fishing communities 

of this size; and Delaware, New York, and Virginia each 

have five fishing communities of this size. Six top fishing 

communities in the region have fewer than 1,000 

inhabitants: Barnegat Light, New Jersey; Port Mahon/Little 

Creek and Bowers Beach, Delaware; Wachapreague and 

Cheriton, Virginia; and Smith Island, Maryland.

Community Resiliency, Growth, and Well Being

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 9.2% of families in the 

U.S. live below the poverty line, the median income level is 

$42,000, and 18% of residents over five years of age speak 

a language other than English at home. The Mid-Atlantic 

region and its fishing communities are fairly comparable to 

the national picture, with state-level poverty rates ranging 

from 6.1% to 11.5%, median income levels ranging from 

$43,000-$55,000, and the percentage of residents over 

five years of who speak a language other than English 

at home ranging from 9.5% to 28%. More information 

on these and other factors that may affect community 

resiliency are discussed below.

Delaware

The percentage of family households below the poverty 

level in Delaware was 6.5%. The poverty rates in fishing 

communities varied but were still comparable to the 

national rate. Indian River and Lewes had the lowest 

poverty rates at 1.7% and 3.4%, respectively. The poverty 

rates in the other top fishing communities ranged from 

7.7% to 10.6%. The percentage of residents over five years 

of age who spoke a language other than English at home 

was 9.5% for the state (a regional low) but generally lower 

across the fishing communities. 

At the state level, indicators show that population 

has grown 16.1% between1997and 2006 and the 

unemployment rate fell 10.3%. The number of annual 

building permits issued increased 37%, despite falling 21% 

Fishing Communities Facts

 The community of Belford, New Jersey is reported to be

one of the oldest fishing ports on the East Coast.

 Smith Island, Maryland, with a population of under

400, is one of only three Mid-Atlantic islands to still

have year-round residents.

 The landing site of Port Mahon, Delaware is located in a

Nature Conservancy Preserve and can be accessed only

by four-wheel drive vehicle. Fishermen do not reside

here but in nearby Little Creek, Delaware.

Commercial fisheries

 In 2006, there were 1,382 vessels with a Northeast

federal permit whose owners lived in the Mid-Atlantic,

but 982 vessels which landed in the Mid-Atlantic.

 Traditionally many menhaden fishermen, though few

captains, have been African American. The menhaden

is a small fish caught in large quantity used to produce

fish meal and other products.

 Delaware fishermen generally land their catch in Ocean

City, Maryland as there have been no fish packing

facilities in Delaware since 1986.

 North Carolina commercial fisheries are so intertwined

with certain primarily Mid-Atlantic species that North

Carolina has a seat on the Mid-Atlantic Fishery

Management Council, in addition to its seat on the

South Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

Recreational fishing

 The Cape May County Fishing Tournament in New

Jersey is one of the longest continuously running

fishing tournaments on the East Coast. Avalon, Cape

May, Wildwood, and Sea Isle City, New Jersey are all

within Cape May County.

 Freeport, New York (near Oceanside, New Jersey and

Point Lookout, New York) hosts the largest annual

shark tournament on the East Coast.

Seafood sales

 The Fulton Fish Market in New York City is the largest

consortium of seafood wholesalers in the country.

Historical context & recognition

 In 1871, there was a whaling “lookout” station

established on what is now known as Point Lookout,

New York.

 In 1877, if oystermen were added to the total, the

states with second and third most fishermen in the U.S.

were Virginia and Maryland with 16,000 each.

 The village of Greenport and Mattituck Inlet in New

York have been designated as historic maritime areas

by the Town of Southold, within which they are located.

 Reedville, Virginia is home to Omega Protein Corp. The

company can trace its roots back to a primitive fish

processing facility begun by John Haynie in what is now

Reedville in 1678.

Other fish facts

 According to some researchers, Slaughter Beach in

Milford, Delaware is the most important horseshoe crab

spawning ground in the world.

 Newport News, Hampton, and Virginia Beach, Virginia,

as well as some other nearby communities, are

sometimes referred to collectively as the Hampton

Roads area.

 Dorchester County, Maryland (location of Cambridge,

Maryland) is the original home of the skipjack, a type

of sailboat developed on the Chesapeake Bay

specifically for oyster dredging.
 38

Mid-Atlantic Summary

from 2005‒2006. There were six disaster declarations and 

two emergency declarations during the 1997-2006 time 

period.

Maryland

The percentage of family households below the poverty 

level in Maryland was 6.1% in 2000, the lowest in the 

region. The family household poverty rate in fishing 

communities varied. Four fishing communities (Ocean 

City, Deale, Shady Side, and Solomons) had poverty rates 

at 6% or less. Crisfield (30.5%), Cambridge (17.2%), and 

Smith Island (14.4%) had the highest poverty rates. The 

percentage of fishing community residents over five 

years of age who spoke a language other than English at 

home was 12.6% for the state but markedly lower across 

the fishing communities (7% or lower, less than half the 

national average). The median education level for the 

fishing communities was “high school” for six communities 

and “some college” for three. The median education level 

for the state was “some college.”

The state population grew 10.3% between 1997 and 

2006 and the unemployment rate fell 19% during this 

period to 3.8% in 2006. The number of building permits 

issued declined 10.4% during this time, largely due to a 

23% decline from 2005-2006. There were five disaster 

declarations and two emergency declarations during the 

1997-2006 time period.

New Jersey

In New Jersey, the percentage of family households below 

the poverty line was 6.3%. Eight fishing communities had 

poverty rates less than the national rate and six were below 

the state poverty rate. Atlantic City (19.1%) and Wildwood 

(20.2%) had poverty rates twice the national average. 

These fishing communities also had the highest percentage 

of residents who spoke a language other than English at 

home, 38.4% and 20.6%, respectively. Among New Jerseyʼs 

top fishing communities, Wildwood ($24,000), Atlantic City 

($27,000), and Cape May ($33,000) had the lowest median 

income levels.

Between 1997 and 2006, state population growth was 

8.3% and the unemployment rate fell 11.3%. The issuance 

of building permits increased 22.5%, despite falling 11.1% 

from 2005-2006, the lowest decrease in the Mid-Atlantic 

region. There were eight disaster declarations and four 

emergency declarations during the 1997-2006 time 

period.

New York

The percentage of family households below the poverty line 

in New York was the highest in the region at 11.5%. With 

the exception of Greenport (21.1%), the family household 

poverty rate across the selected fishing communities was 

lower than the state and national rates. The percentage 

of residents over five years of age who spoke a language 

other than English at home was 28% for the state but 

generally lower across the fishing communities. Montauk 

(30.3%) had the highest percentage of residents who spoke 

a language other than English at home, while Mattituck 

(8.1%), Amagansett (9.5%), and Point Lookout (9.5%) had 

rates roughly half the national average. The New York 

fishing communities had the highest median education 

level attained in the region (“some college”). 

At the state level, population grew 6.4% between1997 and 

2006 to 19.3 million residents. The unemployment rate 

dropped 29% during this time period to 4.6% in 2006. 

The number of building permits issued increased 65%, 

declining 12.2% from 2005-2006. There were 18 disaster 

declarations and 11 emergency declarations during the 

1997-2006 time period.

Virginia

The percentage of family households below the poverty 

line in Virginia was 7%. The poverty rate was generally 

lower or comparable in Virginiaʼs fishing communities, with 

the exception of Richmond (17.1%) and Newport News 

(11.3%). The percentage of residents over five years of 

age who spoke a language other than English was 11.1% 

for the state. The fishing communities all had lower rates, 

averaging 5.3%. Only three fishing communities (Seaford, 

Poquoson, and Virginia Beach) had median income levels 

higher than either the state or national median income 

levels.

Virginiaʼs population growth rate was 13.5% between 1997 

and 2006 and the unemployment rate fell 19% during this 

period to 3% in 2006. Building permit issuance, which 

peaked in 2004, fell 23% from 2005-2006. There were 

16 disaster declarations and two emergency declarations 

during the 1997-2006 time period.

List of Fishing Communities and Ports

The following list contains fishing communities and ports 

that have been identified by NMFS social science staff as 

having ties to commercial and/or recreational fisheries 

in the Mid-Atlantic region. Profiles of most of these 

communities are available at http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/

read/socialsci/community_profiles/. Profiled communities 
39

Mid-Atlantic Region

New York

Amagansett*

Brooklyn

Captree Island

City Island

Freeport

Greenport

Hampton Bays/Shinnecock

Islip*

Montauk

Mattituck

New York

Oceanside

Point Lookout

New Jersey

Atlantic City

Avalon

Barnegat Light/Long Beach

Belford/Middletown

Belmar

Brielle

Cape May

Cape May Court House

Highlands

Newark

Point Pleasant/Point 

Pleasant Beach

Port Norris

Sea Isle City

Toms River

Vineland

Waretown

Wildwood

Delaware

Indian River

Lewes 

Milford

Maryland

Cambridge

Ocean City

Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg

Philadelphia*

Virginia

Carrolton

Cheriton

Chincoteague

Hampton

Newport News

Norfolk

Poquoson

Seaford

Virginia Beach

Wachapreague

North Carolina

Atlantic

Atlantic Beach

Aurora

Avon

Ayden

Bayboro

Beaufort

Belhaven

Columbia

Engelhard

Hatteras

Kill Devil Hills

Lowland

Manteo

Morehead City

Nags Head

New Bern

Ocracoke*

Oriental

Sneads Ferry

Swan Quarter

Swansboro* 

Vandemere

Wanchese

were chosen by regional indicators rather than by state. 

Communities listed here but not profiled are identified 

with an asterisk (*). Though not mentioned in the regional 

summary for the Mid-Atlantic, both Pennsylvania and 

North Carolina have communities that have ties to fisheries 

in this Region. North Carolina is described in the South 

Atlantic Regional Summary. 
 40

Delaware Tables

Geographic Characteristics

State land area (sq. mi): 1,954 % of U.S.: 0.06

Coastline (mi): 28 Shoreline (mi): 381

County equivalents: 3 Coastal: 3 Marine: 3

2000 Sex by Age: State of Delaware and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

M

Total F

Under

5

5 to

14 15 to 24 25 to34

35 to

44

45 to

54

55 to

64

65 to

74

75 to

84

85

and

over

48.6%

Delaware 783,600 51.4% 6.6% 14.2% 13.7% 13.9% 16.3% 13.3% 9.1% 7.2% 4.4% 1.3%

Fishing 47.1%

Communities 13,008 52.9% 5.1% 12.2% 9.5% 11.5% 13.9% 13.1% 11.4% 11.9% 8.3% 3.1%

2000 Race and Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity: Delaware and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

Race Ethnicity

Total

Population White

Black or

African

American

American

Indian and

Alaska

Native

Asian

Native

Hawaiian

and other

Pacific

Islander

Some

other

race

Two

or

more

races

% Hispanic

or Latino

(of any race)

Delaware 783,600 74.6% 19.2% 0.3% 2.1% 0.0% 2.0% 1.7% 4.8%

Fishing

Communities 13,008 86.9% 9.2% 0.2% 0.8% 0.0% 1.3% 1.5% 0.7%

2000 Demographic Attributes: Selected Fishing Communities Compared to State Total

Fishing

Communities

Total

Population

Median

Household

Income

% Family

Households

below

Poverty Level

% Persons

over 16 in

Labor Force

Median

Educational

Attainment

% >5 yrs Speak

Language other

than English at

Home

Delaware 783,600 $47,381 6.5% 65.7% Some college 9.5%

Bowers Beach1 305 $37,031 10.6% 63.4% HS graduate 0.7%

Indian River

2 2,844 $53,397 1.7% 53.7% Some college 6.5%

Lewes 2,932 $48,707 3.4% 48.5% Some college 3.6%

Milford 6732 $32,525 10.4% 60.1% Some college 13.4%

Port Mahon /

Little Creek3 195 $39,375 7.7% 64.4% HS graduate 3.5%

Indicators for Growth and Population Well-being in Delaware

Indicator 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Population4 735,024 744,066 753,538 783,600 795,450 805,591 816,861 828,762 841,741 853,476

Building Permits 4,732 5,287 5,285 4,611 4,814 6,331 7,760 7,858 8,195 6,504

Unemployment

Rate 3.9 3.5 3.3 3.3 3.5 4.0 4.2 4.0 4.0 3.5

Disaster

Declarations 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 1

Emergency

Declarations 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0

1

Census data for Bowers Beach was identified as Bowers town. 2

Census data for Indian River was identified as Census Tract 511 in Sussex County. Census Tract 511 also includes Dewey Beach and

Rehoboth Beach. 3

Census data for Port Mahon / Little Creek was identified as Little Creek town. 4

Estimated population for all years except 2000; actual count was available for this year.
41

Maryland Tables

Geographic Characteristics

State land area (sq. mi): 9,774 % of U.S.: 0.28

Coastline (mi): 31 Shoreline (mi): 3,190

County equivalents: 24 Coastal: 20 Marine: 14

2000 Sex by Age: State of Maryland and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

M

Total F

Under

5

5 to

14

15 to

24

25 to

34

35 to

44

45 to

54

55 to

64

65 to

74

75 to

84

85 and

over

48.3%

Maryland 5,296,486 51.7% 6.7% 14.8% 12.6% 14.1% 17.3% 14.3% 8.9% 6.1% 4.0% 1.3%

Fishing 47.3%

Communities 38,556 52.7% 5.4% 12.3% 10.3% 10.9% 15.4% 13.9% 11.3% 9.6% 7.9% 3.0%

2000 Race and Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity: Maryland and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

Race Ethnicity

Total

Population White

Black or

African

American

American

Indian and

Alaska

Native

Asian

Native

Hawaiian

and other

Pacific

Islander

Some

other

race

Two

or

more

races

% Hispanic

or Latino

(of any race)

Maryland 5,296,486 64.0% 27.9% 0.3% 4.0% 0.0% 1.8% 2.0% 4.3%

Fishing

Communities 38,556 79.1% 18.5% 0.3% 0.4% 0.0% 0.3% 1.4% 0.3%

2000 Demographic Attributes: Selected Fishing Communities Compared to State Total

Fishing

Communities1

Total

Population

Median

Household

Income

% Family

Households

below

Poverty Level

% Persons

over 16 in

Labor

Force

Median

Educational

Attainment

% >5 yrs Speak

Language other

than English at

Home

Maryland 5,296,486 $52,868 6.1% 67.8% Some college 12.6%

Cambridge 10,911 $25,967 17.2% 59.4% HS graduate 3.8%

Crisfield 2,723 $17,979 30.5% 53.1% HS graduate 4.1%

Deale 4,796 $66,016 1.9% 75.2% Some college 3.1%

Ocean City 7,173 $35,772 6.0% 60.4% HS graduate 7.0%

Pocomoke City 4,098 $28,938 13.6% 60.3% HS graduate 4.0%

Rock Hall 1,396 $32,833 10.5% 64.9% HS graduate 2.0%

Shady Side 5,559 $68,406 3.9% 77.0% Some college 4.8%

Smith Island 364 $26,324 14.4% 50.8% HS graduate 2.2%

Solomons 1,536 $48,532 2.1% 43.6% Some college 4.9%

Indicators for Growth and Population Well-being in Maryland

Indicator 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Population2 5,092,914 5,130,072 5,171,634 5,296,486 5,379,795 5,441,349 5,506,684 5,553,249 5,589,599 5,615,727

Building

Permits 25,966 30,863 29,757 30,358 29,059 29,293 29,914 27,382 30,180 23,262

Unemployment

Rate 4.7 4.3 3.6 3.6 4.1 4.5 4.5 4.3 4.1 3.8

Disaster

Declarations 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 1

Emergency

Declarations 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0

1

Maryland attributes fisheries landings to water bodies where fish are caught, not by port or community. Maryland fishing communities

were identified by experts on the state's fishing communities rather than by commercial fisheries landings in 2006. 2

Estimated population for all years except 2000; actual count was available for this year.
 42

New Jersey Tables

Geographic Characteristics

State land area (sq. mi): 7,148 % of U.S.: 0.21

Coastline (mi): 130 Shoreline (mi): 1,792

County equivalents: 21 Coastal: 20 Marine: 7

2000 Sex by Age: State of New Jersey and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

M

Total F

Under

5

5 to

14

15 to

24

25 to

34

35 to

44

45 to

54

55 to

64

65 to

74

75 to

84

85 and

over

48.5%

New Jersey 8,414,350 51.5% 6.7% 14.2% 11.9% 14.1% 17.1% 13.8% 8.9% 6.8% 4.8% 1.6%

Fishing 49.2%

Communities 84,002 50.9% 5.3% 11.7% 10.2% 11.5% 14.8% 13.6% 12.1% 10.9% 7.6% 2.1%

2000 Race and Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity: New Jersey and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

Race Ethnicity

Total

Population White

Black or

African

American

American

Indian and

Alaska

Native

Asian

Native

Hawaiian

and other

Pacific

Islander

Some

other

race

Two

or

more

races

% Hispanic

or Latino

(of any race)

New Jersey 8,414,350 72.6% 13.6% 0.2% 5.7% 0.0% 5.4% 2.5% 13.3%

Fishing

Communities 84,002 86.8% 7.1% 0.2% 1.5% 0.1% 2.8% 1.5% 1.5%

2000 Demographic Attributes: Selected Fishing Communities Compared to State Total

Fishing

Communities

Total

Population

Median

Household

Income

% Family

Households

below

Poverty Level

% Persons

over 16 in

Labor Force

Median

Educational

Attainment

% >5 yrs Speak

Language other

than English at

Home

New Jersey 8,414,350 $55,146 6.3% 64.2% Some college 25.5%

Atlantic City 40,517 $26,969 19.1% 56.8% HS graduate 38.4%

Avalon 2,143 $59,196 2.2% 47.5% Some college 3.3%

Barnegat Light 764 $52,361 2.6% 46.9% Some college 7.3%

Belford 1,340 $66,964 1.3% 74.6% Some college 10.0%

Belmar 6,045 $44,896 4.5% 68.5% Some college 11.0%

Cape May 4,034 $33,462 7.7% 57.5% Some college 8.9%

Point Pleasant

1 19,306 $55,987 2.0% 66.5% Some college 5.5%

Sea Isle City 2,835 $45,708 6.4% 56.6% Some college 7.6%

Waretown 1,582 $44,410 1.7% 59.6% HS graduate 5.2%

Wildwood 5,436 $23,981 20.2% 62.1% HS graduate 20.6%

Indicators for Growth and Population Well-being in New Jersey

Indicator 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Population2 8,054,178 8,095,542 8,143,412 8,414,350 8,506,516 8,577,514 8,632,553 8,675,879 8,703,150 8,724,560

Building

Permits 28,018 31,345 31,976 34,585 28,267 30,441 32,984 35,936 38,588 34,323

Unemployment

Rate 5.3 4.6 4.5 3.7 4.3 5.8 5.9 4.9 4.5 4.7

Disaster

Declarations 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 2 1 1

Emergency

Declarations 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 0

1

Census data for Point Pleasant was identified as Point Pleasant borough. 2

Estimated population for all years except 2000; actual count was available for this year.
43

New York Tables

Geographic Characteristics

State land area (sq. mi): 47,214 % of U.S.: 1.33

Coastline (mi): 127 Shoreline (mi): 1,850

County equivalents: 62 Coastal: 39 Marine: 8

2000 Sex by Age: State of New York and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

M

Total F

Under

5

5 to

14

15 to

24

25 to

34

35 to

44

45 to

54

55 to

64

65 to

74

75 to

84

85 and

over

48.2%

New York 18,976,457 51.8% 6.5% 14.1% 13.4% 14.5% 16.2% 13.5% 8.9% 6.7% 4.5% 1.6%

Fishing 49.0%

Communities 78,180 51.0% 5.9% 13.0% 9.8% 11.2% 16.6% 15.0% 11.0% 9.0% 6.0% 2.4%

2000 Race and Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity: New York and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

Race Ethnicity

Total

Population White

Black or

African

American

American

Indian and

Alaska

Native

Asian

Native

Hawaiian

and other

Pacific

Islander

Some

other

race

Two

or

more

races

% Hispanic

or Latino

(of any race)

New York 18,976,457 67.9% 15.9% 0.4% 5.5% 0.0% 7.1% 3.1% 15.1%

Fishing

Communities 78,180 91.1% 3.1% 0.1% 0.9% 0.1% 3.1% 1.6% 1.3%

2000 Demographic Attributes: Selected Fishing Communities Compared to State Total

Fishing

Communities

Total

Population

Median

Household

Income

% Family

Households

below

Poverty Level

% Persons

over 16 in

Labor

Force

Median

Educational

Attainment

% >5 yrs Speak

Language other

than English at

Home

New York 18,976,457 $43,393 11.5% 61.1% Some college 28.0%

Amagansett 1,067 $56,406 2.4% 57.0% Some college 9.5%

Greenport 2,048 $31,675 21.1% 59.7% Some college 18.0%

Hampton Bays 12,236 $50,161 6.7% 60.6% Some college 17.2%

Islip 20,575 $65,657 2.6% 67.1% Some college 14.8%

Mattituck 4,198 $55,353 4.5% 60.2% Some college 8.1%

Montauk 3,851 $42,329 8.3% 61.5% Some college 30.3%

Oceanside 32,733 $75,719 2.8% 63.0% Some college 15.4%

Point Lookout 1,472 $69,821 4.6% 58.6% Some college 9.5%

Indicators for Growth and Population Well-being in New York

Indicator 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Population1 18,143,184 18,159,175 18,196,601 18,976,457 19,095,604 19,167,600 19,238,252 19,291,526 19,315,721 19,306,183

Building

Permits 32,881 38,420 42,593 44,105 45,542 49,149 49,708 53,497 61,949 54,382

Unemployment

Rate 6.5 5.7 5.2 4.5 4.9 6.2 6.4 5.8 5.0 4.6

Disaster

Declarations 0 4 1 1 1 2 2 3 1 3

Emergency

Declarations 0 0 3 2 0 1 2 1 1 1

1

Estimated population for all years except 2000; actual count was available for this year.
 44

Virginia Tables

Geographic Characteristics

State land area (sq. mi): 39,594 % of U.S.: 1.12

Coastline (mi): 112 Shoreline (mi): 3,315

County equivalents: 95 Coastal: 61 Marine: 24

2000 Sex by Age: State of Virginia and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

M

Total F

Under

5

5 to

14

15 to

24

25 to

34

35 to

44

45 to

54

55 to

64

65 to

74

75 to

84

85

and

over

49.0%

Virginia 7,078,515 51.0% 6.5% 14.0% 13.6% 14.6% 17.0% 14.1% 9.0% 6.1% 3.9% 1.2%

Fishing 48.1%

Communities 972,008 51.9% 5.4% 12.3% 11.5% 11.7% 15.4% 14.1% 12.0% 9.7% 6.1% 1.8%

2000 Race and Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity: Virginia and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

Race Ethnicity

Total

Population White

Black or

African

American

American

Indian and

Alaska

Native

Asian

Native

Hawaiian

and other

Pacific

Islander

Some

other

race

Two

or

more

races

% Hispanic

or Latino

(of any race)

Virginia 7,078,515 72.3% 19.6% 0.3% 3.7% 0.1% 2.0% 2.0% 4.7%

Fishing

Communities 972,008 74.5% 21.3% 0.3% 1.3% 0.0% 1.0% 1.5% 0.9%

2000 Demographic Attributes: Selected Fishing Communities Compared to State Total

Fishing

Communities

Total

Population

Median

Household

Income

% Family

Households

below

Poverty Level

% Persons

over 16 in

Labor Force

Median

Educational

Attainment

% >5 yrs Speak

Language other

than English at

Home

Virginia 7,078,515 $46,677 7.0% 66.8% Some college 11.1%

Cheriton 499 $26,429 7.8% 54.7% HS graduate 1.9%

Chincoteague 4,317 $28,514 9.7% 62.0% HS graduate 4.0%

Hampton 146,437 $39,532 8.8% 62.4% Some college 6.7%

Newport News 180,150 $36,597 11.3% 68.3% Some college 8.3%

Poquoson 11,566 $60,920 3.0% 66.8% Some college 3.8%

Reedville1 2,315 $39,310 4.4% 38.1% HS graduate 3.2%

Richmond 197,790 $31,121 17.1% 62.4% Some college 6.7%

Seaford2 3,441 $64,392 1.1% 68.5% Some college 6.0%

Virginia Beach 425,257 $48,705 5.1% 72.9% Some college 10.3%

Wachapreague 236 $36,625 2.9% 59.8% Some college 2.2%

Indicators for Growth and Population Well-being in Virginia

Indicator 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Population3 6,732,878 6,789,225 6,872,912 7,078,515 7,192,701 7,285,707 7,375,863 7,472,448 7,564,327 7,642,884

Building

Permits 45,523 50,204 53,151 48,402 52,860 59,445 55,936 63,220 61,518 47,704

Unemployment

Rate 3.7 2.9 2.7 2.3 3.2 4.2 4.1 3.7 3.5 3.0

Disaster

Declarations 0 1 2 1 2 2 3 3 0 2

Emergency

Declarations 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0

1

Census data for Reedville was identified as zip code tabulation area 22539. 2

Census data for Seaford was identified as zip code tabulation area 23696. 3

Estimated population for all years except 2000; actual count was available for this year.
45

South Atlantic

 East Florida

 Georgia

 North Carolina

 South Carolina
 46

South Atlantic Summary

Regional Context

The South Atlantic region includes North Carolina, South 

Carolina, Georgia, and the Atlantic Coast of Florida. These 

states combined share 1,168 miles of coastline: 580 miles 

in Floridaʼs Atlantic Coast, 301 miles in North Carolina, 

187 miles in South Carolina, and 100 miles in Georgia. 

These states also share 11,926 miles of tidal shoreline: 

3,375 miles in North Carolina, 3,331 miles in Floridaʼs 

Atlantic Coast, 2,876 miles in South Carolina, and 2,344 

miles in Georgia. 

The coastal area of these states is characterized by large 

sounds, strips of salt marsh, networks of tidal creeks and 

rivers, barrier islands, and a coastal plain. Some of these 

barrier islands include those that constitute the Outer 

Banks of North Carolina; Hilton Head and Kiawah Islands, 

South Carolina; and Tybee and St. Simonʼs Islands in 

Georgia. The numerous estuaries are nurseries for diverse 

marine species including finfish and shrimp. The most commercially important marine species and species groups are: 

the grouper species (for example, gag and black), snapper 

species (for example, red, vermilion, and yellowtail), king 

and Spanish mackerel, flounder, shark, tuna, shrimp, lobster, and blue crab. 

The South Atlantic region has the second highest potential 

for annual hurricane seasons that can disrupt commercial 

and recreational fishing, and life in its towns and cities. 

Fishing communities located along the regionʼs low-lying 

coastlines are at risk from hurricanesʼ high winds, associated storm surges, and heavy rain. Since 1960, Florida has 

received more major disaster declarations for hurricanes 

and tropical storms combined than the regionʼs other 

states, followed in descending order by North Carolina, 

South Carolina, and Georgia. North Carolinaʼs barrier island 

chain protrudes far out into the Atlantic; Cape Hatteras is 

only about 40 miles from the continental shelf and the Gulf 

Stream. This contributes to that stateʼs increased vulnerability to this kind of natural disaster. 

Coastal areas in the South Atlantic region are undergoing intense gentrification pressure. This development is 

impacting commercial fishing communities as people from 

other areas buy or build second homes or relocate in these 

areas to work or to retire. Some areas including the Outer 

Banks in North Carolina, Charleston and Hilton Head Island 

in South Carolina, Savannah, Tybee Island, and nearby 

areas in Georgia, and Floridaʼs Atlantic Coast have been 

tourist destinations for decades. Other areas, however, are 

in earlier stages of redevelopment. For example, housing 

developments in parts of coastal Georgia are a more recent 

phenomenon. Many seafood processors and fish houses 

have ceased operating in the last decade. In 2000, there 

were 695 seafood processors and wholesalers operating in 

these states. In 2006, the number dropped to 477 seafood processors and wholesalers, a decline of 31.4%. Loss 

of commercial fishing infrastructure reflects the general 

decline of commercial fishing in many locations throughout 

the region.

Saltwater recreational fishing is found along the entire 

coast and its importance is increasing. In 2006, Florida 

received the most saltwater recreational fishing trips, 

followed by North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. 

Several of Floridaʼs top commercial fishing communities 

service saltwater anglers, offering a variety of shoreside 

support services. Miami, Cape Canaveral, West Palm Beach, 

and St Augustine, Florida, are examples of these communities. Other fishing communities with strong state and 

federal saltwater recreational fisheries include Savannah, 

Georgia; Charleston, Murrellʼs Inlet, and Little River, South 

Carolina; and Morehead City/Beaufort/Atlantic Beach, 

Wilmington; and Manteo, North Carolina.

Blessings of the fleet can be found in some of the regionʼs 

top commercial and recreational fishing communities 

including Morehead City, North Carolina, McClellanville, 

South Carolina, and Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Pompano, Florida. Seafood festivals are also held in many of 

the regionʼs top commercial and recreational fishing communities to celebrate the regionʼs seafood, an important 

ingredient in the regionʼs traditional low country cuisine. 

Some examples include: the South Atlantic Seafood Festival 

in Charleston, South Carolina; the North Carolina Seafood 

Festival held in Morehead City; and the Blue Crab Festival 

in Little River, South Carolina. Other seafood festivals are 

held on the South Carolina and Georgia coasts.

The Fishing Communities

Overall, 82 fishing communities in the South Atlantic 

region have been identified by NMFS social scientists 

because of the nature of their links with commercial and/

or recreational fishing. They are distributed as follows: 

East Florida, 24 communities; Georgia, 13 communities; 

A North Carolina charter boat unloads yellowfin tuna and dolphinfish
47

South Atlantic Region

North Carolina, 26 communities; and South Carolina, 

19 communities. Historically, North Carolina has had 

the most productive and diverse commercial fisheries 

in the region. Today, it is the regionʼs only state with a 

commercial fishing port, Wanchese-Stumpy Point, that had 

sufficient landings by volume to be included in the top 50 

U.S. commercial fishing ports in 2006. Wanchese-Stumpy 

Point ranked 31st in the U.S. In contrast, Georgiaʼs fisheries 

generated the lowest landings revenue of any state in the 

South Atlantic.

Fishing Communities Facts

 North Carolina's commercial fishing communities

tend to be the smallest in the region, yet they

service the region's historically most diverse and

productive commercial fisheries.

 The number of commercial fish processors and

wholesale dealers for North Carolina, South Carolina,

Georgia, and Florida combined declined 31.4%

between 2000 and 2006.

 Exceeded only by the Gulf of Mexico region, the

South Atlantic region has the nation's second highest

potential for annual hurricane seasons. Hurricanes

can disrupt commercial and recreational fishing, as

well as life in its towns and cities.

Recreational fishing

 In 2006, Florida had the highest number of saltwater

recreational angler fishing trips in the U.S.

 The Big Rock Blue Marlin Fishing Tournament in

Morehead City, North Carolina is an important

tournament with a long history, drawing tourists and

fishermen from the East Coast of the U.S. to

compete for more than one million dollars in prize

money.

 Fishing tournaments with big prize money

throughout Florida inject significant income into local

communities. Fishermen try to catch big game

species like marlin, swordfish, kingfish, tuna, wahoo

and dolphin.

Seafood festivals

 The North Carolina Seafood Festival is held in

October in Morehead City each year. It is one of the

largest of its kind in the South Atlantic.

 Awareness of the need to conserve the nation's

seafood resources is recognized in a new kind of

regional seafood festival first held in Charleston,

South Carolina in 2003: the Sustainable Seafood

Festival.

The regionʼs top commercial fishing communities range 

in size from sub-areas of large cities like Jacksonville 

(pop. 735,617) and Miami (pop. 362,470), Florida, and 

Savannah, Georgia (pop. 131,510), to small villages like 

McClellanville, South Carolina (pop. 459) and Bath, North 

Carolina (pop. 275). East Floridaʼs top commercial fishing 

communities tend to be the largest in the region ‒ all have 

populations of more than 10,000. At the other extreme, 

North Carolinaʼs top commercial fishing communities 

all have populations of less than 6,000, and six of these 

communities are smaller than 2,000. Georgia and South 

Carolinaʼs fishing community populations are more varied. 

Each state has a larger city such as Savannah, Georgia and 

Charleston, South Carolina (pop. 96,650), that are involved 

in commercial and saltwater recreational fishing, as well as 

smaller fishing villages such as Valona, Georgia (pop. 123) 

and McClellanville, South Carolina (pop. 459). 

Community Resiliency, Growth, and Well Being

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 9.2% of families in the 

U.S. live below the poverty line, the median income level is 

$42,000, and 18% of residents over five years of age speak 

a language other than English at home. The South Atlantic 

region and its fishing communities are fairly comparable to 

the national picture with state-level poverty rates ranging 

from 9% to 10.7%; median income levels ranging from 

$37,000 to $42,000; and the percentage of individuals 

over five years of age who speak a language other than 

English at home ranging from 5.2% to 23.1%. The fishing 

communities showed more variability. More information 

on these and other factors that may affect community 

resiliency are discussed below.

East Florida

The percentage of family households below the poverty 

level in Florida was 9%. The highest poverty rates were 

in Fort Pierce (25.4%), Miami (23.5%), and Cocoa Beach 

(21.8%). Jacksonville and Titusville had poverty rates at 

about 9%, while the other top fishing communities had 

poverty rates of less than 6.4%. Miami (75%), Margate 

(25%), and Fort Pierce (25%) had the highest percentage 

of residents over 5 years of age who spoke a language 

other than English at home. All other fishing communities 

ranged from 6.6% to 9.5%. The median education level in 

Miami and Fort Pierce was “high school,” while in the other 

top fishing communities and the state overall, the median 

education level was “some college.”

At the state level, indicators show that population has 

grown 23.2%, the unemployment rate fell 32%, and the 

number of annual building permits issued increased 52% 

between 1997 and 2006. Disaster declarations averaged 

2.3 per year during this period and there were six 

emergency declarations. From 2005‒2006, the number of 

building permits issued fell 29%, the largest decrease in the 

South Atlantic region.

Georgia

The percentage of family households below the poverty 

rate in Georgia in 2000 was 9.9%, which is comparable 

to the national rate. The family household poverty rate in 

Georgiaʼs top fishing communities was generally higher. 

Brunswick (25.2%), Darien (21.3%), Savannah (17.7%), 

Midway (15.2%), and Crescent (15.2%) had the highest 

poverty rates. The median income levels in each of these 
 48

South Atlantic Summary

communities was below $30,000. The percentage of 

individuals over five years of age who spoke a language 

other than English at home was 9.9% for the state but 

generally lower across the fishing communities at 7% or 

less. 

From 1997-2006, the state population grew 25.1%, the 

unemployment rate rose 4.5% (4.6% in 2006), and the 

number of building permits issued increased 38.7%. 

There were six disaster declarations during the 1997-2006 

time period and two emergency declarations. 

North Carolina

In North Carolina, the percentage of family households 

below the poverty line was 9%, comparable to the national 

rate. Five fishing communities had poverty rates less 

than the national rate, four communities had poverty 

rates ranging from 9.5% to 13.3%, and one had a family 

household poverty rate of 27.9% (Columbia), three times 

the national rate. The median income level in Columbia 

($21,000) was almost half the median income level in the 

state and lower than the other fishing communities. The 

median education level in North Carolinaʼs other top fishing 

communities and the rest of the state was a mix of “high 

school” and “some college.” The percentage of residents 

over five years of age who spoke a language other than 

English at home was relatively low at both the state (8%) 

and fishing community level (1%-12%). 

From 1997-2006, state population growth was 19.2%, the 

unemployment rate increased 20% (4.7% in 2006), and the 

issuance of building permits increased 37%. The number of 

building permits issued from 2005-2006 increased 2.1%, 

the only increase in the region. 

South Carolina

The percentage of family households below the poverty 

line in South Carolina was the highest in the region 

(10.7%). Georgetown (19.9%) had the highest poverty 

rate among South Carolinaʼs top fishing communities. The 

poverty in four fishing communities (Beaufort, Burton, 

Charleston, and Wadmalaw Island) ranged from 11.5% to 

14.1%, while the poverty rate in the other communities 

was less than 9%. The percentage of residents over five 

years of age who spoke a language other than English at 

home ranged from 2.7% (Murrells Inlet) to 9.9% (Burton), 

averaging 5.2% at the state level. 

At the state level, population grew 14% from 1997-2006 

to 4.3 million residents. The unemployment rate increased 

45%, increasing from 4.4% in 1997 to 6.4% in 2006. The 

number of building permits issued increased 69%, despite 

declining 6.2% from 2005-2006.

North Carolina

Atlantic Beach*

Bath* 

Beaufort* 

Belhaven*

Carolina Beach*

Columbia 

Elizabeth City*

Engelhard 

Harkerʼs Island*

Hatteras* 

Kill Devil Hills

Manteo*

Morehead City*

Ocracoke*

Oriental* 

Shiloh 

Sneads Ferry* 

Southport/Bald Head Island*

Surf City/Topsail Beach*

Swan Quarter

Swansboro* 

Vandemere/Mesic*

Varnamtown*

Wanchese*

Wilmington*

Wrightsville Beach*

South Carolina

Beaufort/ Port Royal* 

Bluffton 

Burton

Charleston 

Edisto Beach* 

Georgetown* 

Green Pond 

Hilton Head Island* 

Isle of Palms*

Little River*

McClellanville* 

Mt. Pleasant* 

Murrells Inlet* 

North Charleston 

Port Royal

Seabrook Island* 

Saint Helena Island 

Wadmalaw Island 

Walterboro

Georgia

Brunswick* 

Crescent

Darien* 

Midway 

Richmond Hill 

Savannah 

Saint Maryʼs*

Saint Simons Island* 

Thunderbolt*

Townsend 

Tybee Island*

Waynesville

Valona

Florida, east coast only

Atlantic Beach*

Big Pine Key*

Boca Raton*

Cape Canaveral*

Cocoa Beach 

Fernandina Beach* 

Key West*

Fort Lauderdale 

Fort Pierce* 

Islamorada*

Jacksonville

Jupiter*

Key Largo*

Marathon* 

Margate 

Mayport

Merritt Island* 

Miami

Palm Beach*

List of Fishing Communities and Ports

The following list contains fishing communities and 

ports that have been identified by NMFS social science 

staff as having ties to commercial and/or recreational 

fisheries in the South Atlantic region. Profiles of the 

fishing communities marked with an asterisk (*) are 

available to the public in Potential Fishing Communities 

in the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida: An Effort in Baseline 

Profiling and Mapping, at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sf/

sf/socialsci/pdfs/SA%20Fishing%20Community%20Report.

pdf.
49

Ponce Inlet* 

Port Orange 

Saint Augustine* 

Sebastian*

Titusville 

Sebastian*

Titusville 

South Atlantic Region
 50

East Florida Tables

Geographic Characteristics

State land area (sq. mi): 53,927 % of U.S.: 1.52

Coastline (mi): 580 Shoreline (mi): 3,331

County equivalents: 67 Coastal: 40 Marine: 35

2000 Sex by Age: State of Florida and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

M

Total F

Under

5

5 to

14

15 to

24

25 to

34

35 to

44

45 to

54

55 to

64

65 to

74

75 to

84

85 and

over

48.8%

Florida 15,982,378 51.2% 5.9% 13.1% 12.1% 13.0% 15.5% 12.9% 9.7% 9.1% 6.4% 2.1%

Fishing 48.3%

Communities 1,331,618 51.7% 5.3% 11.7% 11.8% 12.4% 15.3% 13.6% 10.4% 9.8% 7.3% 2.5%

2000 Race and Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity: Florida and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

Race Ethnicity

Total

Population White

Black or

African

American

American

Indian and

Alaska

Native

Asian

Native

Hawaiian

and other

Pacific

Islander

Some

other

race

Two

or

more

races

% Hispanic

or Latino

(of any race)

Florida 15,982,378 78.0% 14.6% 0.3% 1.7% 0.1% 3.0% 2.4% 16.8%

Fishing

Communities 1,331,618 78.9% 15.5% 0.3% 1.3% 0.1% 1.9% 2.1% 2.2%

2000 Demographic Attributes: Selected Fishing Communities Compared to State Total

Fishing

Communities

Total

Population

Median

Household

Income

% Family

Households

below

Poverty Level

% Persons

over 16 in

Labor

Force

Median

Educational

Attainment

% >5 yrs Speak

Language other

than English at

Home

Florida 15,982,378 $38,819 9.0% 58.6% Some college 23.1%

Cocoa Beach 12,482 $27,062 21.8% 60.4% Some college 8.8%

Fernandina Beach 10,549 $40,893 6.4% 58.9% Some college 6.1%

Fort Pierce 37,516 $25,121 25.4% 55.1% HS graduate 24.8%

Jacksonville 735,617 $40,316 9.4% 67.2% Some college 9.5%

Margate 53,909 $38,722 4.2% 58.7% Some college 25.2%

Mayport

1 20,990 $46,922 5.5% 73.4% Some college 6.9%

Miami 362,470 $23,483 23.5% 50.3% HS graduate 74.6%

Port Orange 45,823 $38,783 5.0% 57.4% Some college 7.4%

St. Augustine 11,592 $52,090 2.3% 66.3% Some college 6.8%

Titusville 40,670 $35,607 9.3% 56.6% Some college 6.6%

Indicators for Growth and Population Well-being in Florida

Indicator 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Population2 14,683,350 14,908,230 15,111,244 15,982,378 16,354,728 16,682,250 16,981,800 17,366,593 17,768,191 18,089,888

Building

Permits 133,990 148,603 164,722 155,269 167,035 185,431 213,567 255,893 287,250 203,238

Unemployment

Rate 5.0 4.5 4.0 3.8 4.7 5.7 5.3 4.7 3.9 3.4

Disaster

Declarations 0 6 2 2 3 0 2 5 3 0

Emergency

Declarations 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 0

1

Census data for Mayport was identified as Jacksonville Beach city. 2

Estimated population for all years except 2000; actual count was available for this year.
51

Georgia Tables

Geographic Characteristics

State land area (sq. mi): 57,906 % of U.S.: 1.64

Coastline (mi): 100 Shoreline (mi): 2,344

County equivalents: 159 Coastal: 28 Marine: 7

2000 Sex by Age: State of Georgia and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

M

Total F

Under

5

5 to

14

15 to

24

25 to

34

35 to

44

45 to

54

55 to

64

65 to

74

75 to

84

85 and

over

49.2%

Georgia 8,186,453 50.8% 7.3% 14.9% 14.5% 15.9% 16.5% 13.2% 8.1% 5.3% 3.2% 1.1%

Fishing 48.7%

Communities 172,358 51.3% 6.6% 14.9% 12.8% 12.5% 15.8% 14.4% 10.2% 6.5% 4.5% 1.8%

2000 Race and Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity: Georgia and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

Race Ethnicity

Total

Population White

Black or

African

American

American

Indian and

Alaska

Native

Asian

Native

Hawaiian

and other

Pacific

Islander

Some

other

race

Two

or

more

races

% Hispanic

or Latino

(of any race)

Georgia 8,186,453 65.1% 28.7% 0.3% 2.1% 0.1% 2.4% 1.4% 5.3%

Fishing

Communities 172,358 68.8% 28.6% 0.3% 0.7% 0.1% 0.6% 1.0% 1.0%

2000 Demographic Attributes: Selected Fishing Communities Compared to State Total

Fishing

Communities

Total

Population

Median

Household

Income

% Family

Households

below

Poverty Level

% Persons

over 16 in

Labor

Force

Median

Educational

Attainment

% >5 yrs Speak

Language other

than English at

Home

Georgia 8,186,453 $42,433 9.9% 66.1% Some college 9.9%

Brunswick 15,600 $22,272 25.2% 58.7% HS graduate 3.5%

Crescent

1 5,171 $29,824 15.2% 59.9% HS graduate 0.0%

Darien 1,719 $24,135 21.3% 60.4% HS graduate 5.1%

Midway 1,100 $29,205 15.2% 45.6% HS graduate 7.1%

Richmond Hill 6,959 $47,061 9.8% 73.6% Some college 6.7%

Savannah 131,510 $29,038 17.7% 60.5% Some college 4.8%

Townsend 3,538 $33,531 14.6% 56.4% HS graduate 4.0%

Tybee Island 3,392 $49,741 5.3% 61.9% Some college 4.2%

Valona2 123 $47,292 0.0% 62.7% Some college NA3

Waynesville4 3,246 $30,929 12.6% 63.3% HS graduate 7.1%

Indicators for Growth and Population Well-being in Georgia

Indicator 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Population5 7,486,094 7,636,522 7,788,240 8,186,453 8,424,033 8,597,927 8,750,259 8,935,151 9,132,553 9,363,941

Building

Permits 75,123 85,401 89,581 91,820 93,059 97,523 96,704 108,356 109,336 104,200

Unemployment

Rate 4.4 4.2 3.8 3.5 4.0 4.8 4.8 4.7 5.2 4.6

Disaster

Declarations 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 2 0 0

Emergency

Declarations 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

1

Census data for Crescent was identified as zip code tabulation area 31305. 2

Census data for Valona was identified as zip code tabulation area 31319. 3

NA = data not available. 4

Census data for Waynesville was identified as Block Group 1, Census Tract 9801 in Brantley County. 5

Estimated population for all years except 2000; actual count was available for this year.
 52

North Carolina Tables

Geographic Characteristics

State land area (sq. mi): 48,711 % of U.S.: 1.38

Coastline (mi): 301 Shoreline (mi): 3,375

County equivalents: 100 Coastal: 37 Marine: 16

2000 Sex by Age: State of North Carolina and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

M

Total F

Under

5

5 to

14

15 to

24

25 to

34

35 to

44

45 to

54

55 to

64

65 to

74

75 to

84

85 and

over

North 49.0%

Carolina 8,049,313 51.0% 6.7% 13.8% 13.9% 15.1% 16.0% 13.5% 9.0% 6.6% 4.1% 1.3%

Fishing 48.5%

Communities 21,930 51.5% 5.2% 12.8% 11.1% 12.6% 15.5% 14.8% 11.0% 9.0% 5.6% 2.4%

2000 Race and Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity: North Carolina and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

Race Ethnicity

Total

Population White

Black or

African

American

American

Indian and

Alaska

Native

Asian

Native

Hawaiian

and other

Pacific

Islander

Some

other

race

Two

or

more

races

% Hispanic

or Latino

(of any race)

North

Carolina 8,049,313 72.1% 21.6% 1.2% 1.4% 0.0% 2.3% 1.3% 4.7%

Fishing

Communities 21,930 79.5% 17.3% 0.3% 0.6% 0.0% 1.3% 1.0% 2.2%

2000 Demographic Attributes: Selected Fishing Communities Compared to State Total

Fishing

Communities

Total

Population

Median

Household

Income

% Family

Households

below Poverty

Level

% Persons

over 16 in

Labor

Force

Median

Educational

Attainment

% >5 yrs Speak

Language other

than English at

Home

North Carolina 8,049,313 $39,184 9.0% 65.7% Some college 8.0%

Bath 275 $50,625 8.0% 56.1% Some college 2.8%

Beaufort 3,771 $28,763 13.3% 56.3% Some college 7.6%

Columbia 819 $20,588 27.9% 49.1% HS graduate 8.0%

Engelhard1 1,852 $22,452 8.7% 52.4% HS graduate 4.2%

Hatteras2 2,642 $39,479 0.0% 64.8% Some college 4.2%

Kill Devil Hills 5,897 $39,713 5.2% 76.6% Some college 5.3%

Shiloh3 1,941 $38,939 9.5% 58.9% Some college 2.0%

Sneads Ferry 2,248 $34,509 11.7% 59.0% HS graduate 4.3%

Swan Quarter4 958 $31,136 11.0% 54.5% HS graduate 12.0%

Wanchese 1,527 $39,250 5.1% 66.6% Some college 1.2%

Indicators for Growth and Population Well-being in North Carolina

Indicator 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Population5 7,428,672 7,545,828 7,650,789 8,049,313 8,199,541 8,313,494 8,415,710 8,531,040 8,672,459 8,856,505

Building

Permits 73,015 80,514 84,754 78,376 82,030 79,824 79,226 93,077 97,910 99,979

Unemployment

Rate 3.9 3.5 3.3 3.7 5.6 6.6 6.5 5.6 5.3 4.7

Disaster

Declarations 0 3 2 1 0 1 2 2 1 0

Emergency

Declarations 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0

1

Census data for Engelhard was identified as Lake Landing township in the Hyde County subdivision. 2

Census data for Hatteras was identified as Hatteras township in the Dare County subdivision. 3

Census data for Shiloh was identified as Shiloh township in the Camden County subdivision. 4

Census data for Swan Quarter was identified as Swan Quarter township in the Hyde County subdivision. 5

Estimated population for all years except 2000; actual count was available for this year.
53

South Carolina Tables

Geographic Characteristics

State land area (sq. mi): 30,109 % of U.S.: 0.85

Coastline (mi): 187 Shoreline (mi): 2,876

County equivalents: 46 Coastal: 22 Marine: 6

2000 Sex by Age: State of South Carolina and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

M

Total F

Under

5

5 to

14

15 to

24

25 to

34

35 to

44

45 to

54

55 to

64

65 to

74

75 to

84

85 and

over

South 48.6%

Carolina 4,012,012 51.4% 6.6% 14.3% 14.4% 14.0% 15.6% 13.7% 9.3% 6.7% 4.1% 1.3%

Fishing 48.6%

Communities 207,762 51.4% 5.9% 12.5% 13.6% 12.8% 14.4% 14.7% 10.9% 8.5% 5.3% 1.5%

2000 Race and Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity: South Carolina and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

Race Ethnicity

Total

Population White

Black or

African

American

American

Indian and

Alaska

Native

Asian

Native

Hawaiian

and other

Pacific

Islander

Some

other

race

Two

or

more

races

% Hispanic

or Latino

(of any race)

South

Carolina 4,012,012 67.2% 29.5% 0.3% 0.9% 0.0% 1.0% 1.0% 2.4%

Fishing

Communities 207,762 62.9% 30.6% 4.1% 0.6% 0.1% 0.7% 1.0% 1.8%

2000 Demographic Attributes: Selected Fishing Communities Compared to State Total

Fishing

Communities

Total

Population

Median

Household

Income

% Family

Households

below

Poverty Level

%

Persons

over 16

in Labor

Force

Median

Educational

Attainment

% >5 yrs Speak

Language other

than English at

Home

South Carolina 4,012,012 $37,082 10.7% 63.4% Some college 5.2%

Beaufort 12,950 $36,532 11.5% 67.7% Some college 8.7%

Burton 7,180 $39,753 12.3% 70.9% Some college 9.9%

Charleston 96,650 $35,295 13.3% 62.2% Some college 6.8%

Georgetown 8,950 $29,424 19.9% 56.3% HS graduate 4.1%

Little River 7,027 $40,427 4.7% 58.0% Some college 3.7%

McClellanville 459 $42,500 8.3% 56.7% Some college 9.0%

Mt. Pleasant 47,609 $61,054 3.2% 69.9% Some college 6.2%

Murrells Inlet 5,519 $39,877 5.4% 61.6% Some college 2.7%

St. Helena1 18,807 $45,060 8.5% 57.4% Some college 5.4%

Wadmalaw Island2 2,611 $31,653 14.1% 51.6% Some college 4.6%

Indicators for Growth and Population Well-being in South Carolina

Indicator 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Population3 3,790,066 3,839,578 3,885,736 4,012,012 4,060,728 4,101,122 4,142,356 4,194,694 4,246,933 4,321,249

Building

Permits 30,072 33,576 36,161 32,812 30,133 34,104 38,191 43,230 54,157 50,776

Unemployment

Rate 4.4 3.6 4.1 3.6 5.2 5.9 6.7 6.8 6.8 6.4

Disaster

Declarations 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 4 0 1

Emergency

Declarations 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

1

Census data for St. Helena was identified as St. Helena CCD in the Beaufort County subdivision. 2

Census data for Wadmalaw Island was identified as Wadmalaw Island CCD in the Charleston County subdivision. 3

Estimated population for all years except 2000; actual count was available for this year.
 54
55

Gulf of Mexico

 Alabama

 West Florida

 Louisiana

 Mississippi

 Texas
 56

Regional Context

The Gulf of Mexico region includes Alabama, Louisiana, 

Mississippi, Texas, and the Gulf Coast of Florida. These 

states combined share 1,631 miles of coastline divided 

as follows: Alabama, 53 miles; Louisiana, 397 miles; 

Mississippi, 44 miles; Texas, 367 miles; and the Gulf Coast 

of Florida, 770 miles. The tidal shoreline is much longer 

at 17,141 miles encompassing complicated networks 

of bayous, inlets, tidal rivers, and islands in some areas. 

Louisiana (7,721 miles) has the most extensive tidal 

shoreline, followed by Floridaʼs Gulf Coast (5,095 miles), 

together accounting for 75% of the regionʼs tidal shoreline. 

The inshore habitat created by this extensive tidal shoreline 

combined with the Gulf of Mexicoʼs relatively warm subtropical waters help to create an area second only to Alaska 

in fisheries productivity. 

The Gulf of Mexicoʼs warm waters also help to create the 

countryʼs highest potential for annual hurricane seasons 

that can disrupt commercial and recreational fishing, and 

every other aspect of life in its towns and cities. Because 

most fishing communities are located in low-lying coastal 

zones they are always at risk from the effects of hurricanesʼ 

high winds, associated storm surges, and heavy rain. 

Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma in 2005 provide recent 

examples of the devastating potential of these storms.1 

Katrina was particularly damaging to fishing communities 

in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana; Rita also 

affected Louisiana as well as Texas; and Wilma affected 

Florida. Since 1960, Florida has received more major 

disaster declarations due to hurricanes and tropical storms 

than the regionʼs other states, followed in descending order 

by Louisiana and Texas. Alabama and Mississippi have 

received the fewest major disaster declarations for this 

cause.

Coastal erosion is another threat in this region. It is particularly notable along Louisianaʼs coastline. Most of Louisianaʼs fishing communities are located in this vulnerable 

area, for example, Empire, Venice, and Grand Isle. 

The Gulf Coast is the center of a large fish processing 

industry that handles both domestically caught and imported products for consumption and other uses. Biloxi and 

its surrounding areas in Mississippi, and Bayou La Batre 

in Alabama, have been centers of this industry. Hurricane 

Katrina damaged or destroyed many processing facilities in 

these states. 

In the aftermath of the storm, Mississippi changed its laws 

to allow casinos to be built on land within 800 feet of the 

________________________________

1The assessment of Hurricane Katrinaʼs impact on Gulf 

fishing communities and their fishing infrastructure can 

be accessed at: http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sf/socialsci/

socialsci.htm (accessed 10 June 2008).

shoreline, resulting in increased demand for the real estate 

in the areas adjacent to the casinos. This has dramatically 

increased the value of this property leading many land 

owners including processors to relocate their businesses. 

These areas are now being redeveloped for non-fisheries 

uses, while many former fisheries workers are finding work 

in other industries. 

The Gulf Coast is a rapidly developing center for a diverse 

tourism industry and has long been a destination for those 

seeking milder climates and coastal waters in retirement. 

Biloxi, Mississippi offers a quickly growing gaming and 

entertainment industry, but is declining as a destination 

for recreational fishing. Texas offers Padre Island National 

Seashore and saltwater angler services in a variety of 

places like Corpus Christi. 

Although saltwater recreational fishing is found along the 

entire coast, Florida and Louisiana are particularly notable 

destinations. Several of Floridaʼs top fishing communities 

that service saltwater anglers, for example, Key West, 

Ft. Myers, and Panama City, offer a variety of shoreside 

support services. Louisiana fishing communities with 

notable recreational fishing activity include Grand Isle and 

Venice.

The importance of the Gulfʼs fishing industry is celebrated 

in many coastal communities with seafood festivals that 

are held across the Gulf Coast every year. Festivals include 

the Blessing of the Fleet in places like Brownsville, Texas, 

Grand Isle, Louisiana, and Bayou la Batre, Alabama. There 

are also numerous seafood festivals that are focused 

on one or more species of seafood that are important 

to a given area such as the Florida Seafood Festival in 

Apalachicola, Florida, the Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, 

Alabama, and the annual Shrimporee in Aransas Pass, 

Texas. 

Gulf of Mexico Summary

Houses near marshy waters, Grand Isle, Louisiana
57

Gulf of Mexico Region

Fishing Communities Facts

 Many communities in the Gulf of Mexico were

originally founded to exploit the rich marine

resources.

 Some communities in the Gulf of Mexico, for example,

Empire and Venice in Louisiana, are below sea level

and protected by levies.

 In many coastal communities, fishermen can no

longer afford to live near the water because

increasing development and redevelopment of these

areas has raised the cost of living beyond their

means.

Seafood processing and sales

 In 2006, there were 174 fish processing plants and

255 wholesale businesses located in the Gulf region

that together employed 10,841 workers.

 Louisiana had the most wholesaler plants in 2006

(126) that together employed 661 workers, while

Texas had the second highest number (77) that

together employed 825 workers.

Shrimp fishery

 The combination of long term increases in expenses

including marine diesel fuel, combined with the

dramatic increase in the amount of relatively cheap

imported farm raised shrimp, is making it very

difficult for many Gulf fishermen to make a living in

commercial fishing. Over 90% of the Nation's shrimp

supply is now imported.

 Vietnamese fishermen are now an important part of

the shrimp fishery in Mississippi and Louisiana.

Recreational fishing

 Florida had the most saltwater recreational fishermen

in the United States in 2006: 3.7 million, and another

2.9 million saltwater anglers from other states

reported saltwater fishing trips to Florida in that year.

These recreational fishermen released just over 44%

of their catch in 2006.

Historical context

 Coastal dwelling American Indians relied on the Gulf

of Mexico's inshore marine resources for part of their

subsistence for thousands of years before Europeans

began arriving in the 16th century.

 Some of the first scientific studies of the Gulf's fishery

resources were begun in 1884 by the U.S.

Commission of Fish and Fisheries. They eventually

included surveys of the oyster beds in areas near

Apalachicola, Florida, and inshore waters of Alabama

as well as other areas.

Some communities have memorials dedicated to fishing 

including parks and monuments that honor commercial 

fishing (for example, Cortez, Florida and Biloxi, Mississippi). 

Some have museums with exhibits that highlight 

commercial and recreational fishing in the Gulf of Mexico 

(for example, the Texas Maritime Museum in Rockport, 

Texas). 

The Fishing Communities

Overall, 30 fishing communities in Alabama, 99 in 

Louisiana, 14 in Mississippi, 68 in Texas, and 119 in 

West Florida have been profiled by NMFS social scientists 

because of the nature of their links with commercial 

and/or recreational fishing. In 2006, 14 of the United 

Statesʼ top 50 ports by landings revenue were located 

in the Gulf region. They were: Bayou La Batre, Alabama; 

Dulac-Chauvin, Empire-Venice, Golden Meadow-Leeville, 

Intracoastal City, and Laffitte-Barataria, Louisiana; 

Brownsville-Port Isabel, Port Arthur, Galveston, and 

Palacios, Texas; and Apalachicola, Fort Myers, Key West, 

and Tampa Bay-St. Petersburg, Florida. On average, the 

Gulf of Mexico accounted for 21% of U.S. annual landings 

revenue from 1997-2006.

The Gulfʼs top fishing communities were typically smaller 

towns and villages with populations below 20,000 persons. 

However, one major metropolitan center approaching two 

million (Houston, Texas), and a few larger coastal cities 

also have significant fisheries involvement (Tampa and 

St. Petersburg, Florida; Mobile, Alabama; and Brownsville, 

Texas). Louisianaʼs and Alabamaʼs top fishing communities 

are most likely to have populations below 5,000. Nine 

of Louisianaʼs top ten fishing communities and seven of 

Alabamaʼs top ten fishing communities fall in this group. 

Community Resiliency, Growth, and Well Being

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 9.2% of families lived 

below the poverty line in the U.S., the median income 

level was $42,000, and 18% of residents over five years 

of age spoke a language other than English at home. In 

comparison, the Gulf region has a higher percentage of 

families living in poverty, a lower median income level, and 

a higher percentage of residents older than five who spoke 

a language other than English at home. The differences 

between the demographics of most, though not all, of the 

Gulf regionʼs fishing communities and the rest of the U.S. is 

quite striking. More information on these and other factors 

that may affect community resiliency are discussed below.

Alabama

The percentage of family households below the poverty 

level in Alabama in 2000 was 12.5%. The family household 

poverty rate in fishing communities was generally higher. 

Coden (24.3%), Bayou la Batre (22.9%), Irvington (18%) and 

Mobile (17.9%) had the highest poverty rates. The poverty 

rates in three of the top fishing communities (Dauphin 

Island, Grand Bay, and Foley) was lower than the national 

average. 
 58

The percentage of residents over five years of age who 

spoke a language other than English was 3.9% for the state. 

With the exception of Bayou La Batre (29.1%), the other 

fishing communities for which information was available, 

had a much lower rate of residents who spoke a language 

other than English at home when compared to the national 

rate. 

The state population grew 6.5% between 1997 and 2006. 

The number of building permits issued grew 81% and 

the unemployment rate declined 20% for this period. 

From 2005-2006, the number of building permits issued 

increased 4.6%. There were 16 disaster declarations and 

three emergency declarations during the 1997-2006 time 

period. 

Louisiana

In Louisiana, the percentage of households below the 

poverty line was 15.8%. Across fishing communities, the 

household poverty rate ranged from 9.1% (Grand Isle) to 

33% (Abbeville), with three fishing communities (Abbeville, 

33%, St. Bernard, 30%, and Dulac, 27.8%) having poverty 

rates more than three times the national average. 

The percentage of Louisiana residents over five years of 

age who spoke a language other than English was approximately half the national average. However, some fishing 

communities (Golden Meadow, 40%, Chauvin, 34%, and Dulac, 37.4%) had roughly double or more the national average. The median education level attained in Venice (“some 

high school”) was lower than both the state (“some college”) 

and other fishing communitiesʼ levels (“high school graduate”). 

State population declined 1.5% between 1997 and 2006, 

largely due to out-migration after Hurricanes Katrina and 

Rita (5% decline 2005-2006). In contrast, the issuance of 

building permits increased 89% during this period, with a 

26% increase occurring from 2005-2006. There were 15 

disaster declarations and seven emergency declarations 

from 1997 to 2006.

Mississippi

The percentage of family households below the poverty 

line in Mississippi was the highest in the region (16%), and 

the percentage of residents who spoke a language other 

than English at home was the lowest in the region (3.6%). 

With the exception of Pascagoula (18.1%), Mississippiʼs top 

fishing communities had poverty rates at or lower than the 

state rate. However, four of these communities had rates 

above the national poverty level. The percentage of residents in the top fishing communities over five years of age 

who spoke a language other than English was well below 

the national rate though generally higher than the state 

rate. 

Mississippiʼs population growth was 6.5% between 1997 

and 2006. The unemployment rate increased 11.5% during 

this period (6.8% in 2006, the highest in the region). The 

issuance of building permits increased 65% from 1997-

2006, increasing 24% post Hurricane Katrina (2005-2006). 

There were 14 disaster declarations and two emergency 

declarations during the 1997-2006 time period.

Texas

In Texas, the percentage of family households below the 

poverty line was 12%. The poverty rates in the top fishing 

communities were substantially higher and five of the top 

Texas fishing communities were roughly twice the national 

average or more: Brownsville, 32.4%, Port Arthur, 22.9%, 

Freeport, 22.3%, Port Isabel, 21.7%, and Palacios, 19.8%. 

Brownsville (87%), Port Isabel (71%), Palacios (50%), and 

Freeport (45%) also had the highest percentage of residents over five years of age who spoke a language other 

than English at home. With the exception of Nederland 

($45,000) and Port Neches ($48,000), the median income 

level in the top fishing communities was lower than the 

national median income level.

Between 1997 and 2006, Texasʼ population increased 22%, 

the number of building permits issued increased 72%, and 

the unemployment rate fell 9.3%. The number of building 

permits issued increased 2.9% from 2005-2006. There 

were 16 disaster declarations and five emergency declarations during the 1997-2006 time period. 

West Florida

The percentage of family households below the poverty 

line in Florida was 9%, with poverty rates in the fishing 

communities the lowest on average in the region. The 

western Florida fishing communities of Cortez (7.3%), Key 

West (5.8%), Madeira Beach (4.1%), and Fort Myers Beach 

(3%) all had poverty rates below the state and national 

rates. The poverty rate in Apalachicola (20%) was twice the 

national rate, while the poverty rates in the other fishing 

communities ranged from 9.2% to 14%. The percentage 

of residents over five years of age who spoke a language 

other than English was less than 8% for six communities, 

but between 23% and 25% in three other fishing 

communities.

At the state level, population grew 23% between 1997 and 

2006. The number of building permits issued increased 

52% despite falling 30% from 2005-2006. There were 23 

disaster declarations ‒ more than any other state in the 

region ‒ and six emergency declarations during the 1997-

2006 time period. 

Gulf of Mexico Summary
59

Gulf of Mexico Region

List of Fishing Communities and Ports

The following list contains fishing communities and ports 

that have been identified by NMFS social science staff as 

having ties to commercial and/or recreational fisheries 

in the Gulf of Mexico region. Profiles of these fishing 

communities are available to the public in the following 

publications: 

 

Identifying Fishing Communities Associated with the 

Fishing Industry along the Florida Gulf Coast ‒ Final 

Report. 

 Vol. 1, Escambia- Levy Counties - Final Report http://

sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sf/socialsci/pdfs/VolumeI_

Escambia-LevyCos.pdf

 Vol. 2, Alachua - Pinellas Counties - Final Report http://

sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sf/socialsci/pdfs/VolumeII_AlachuaPinellasCos.pdf

 Vol. 3, Hillsborough - Collier Counties - Final Report 

http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sf/socialsci/pdfs/VolumeIII_

Hillsborough-CollierCos-Summary&Refs.pdf

Identifying Communities Associated with the Fishing 

Industry in Louisiana - Final Report.

 Vol. 1, Ascension - Lafayette Parishes - Final Report 

http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sf/socialsci/pdfs/

VolumeIAscension-LafayetteParishes.pdf

 Vol. 2, Lafourche - St. Landry Parishes - Final 

Report http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sf/socialsci/pdfs/

VolumeIILafourche-StLandryParishes.pdf

 Vol. 3, St. Martin - Vermillion, Summary - Final 

Report http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sf/socialsci/pdfs/

VolumeIIIStMartin-VermilionSummaryRefAppendix.pdf 

Identifying Communities Associated with the Fishing 

Industry in Texas Identifying Communities - Final Report.

 http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sf/socialsci/pdfs/Texas_

collapsed-Feb06.pdf

Identifying Communities Associated with the Fishing 

Industry in Alabama and Mississippi - Final Report.

 http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sf/socialsci/pdfs/AlaMiss_

PublicReleaseVersion_pdf_Feb06.pdf 

Texas

Alvin

Anahuac

Aransas Pass

Bacliff

Baycity

Bayside

Baytown

Beaumont

Brazoria

Bridge City

Brownsville

Carrollton

Channelview

Clute

Corpus Christi

Crystal Beach

Dickinson

Freeport

Friendswood

Fulton

Galveston

Groves

Highlands

Houston

Indianola

Ingleside

Kemah

Kingsville

Laguna Vista

Lake Jackson

La Marque

League City

Liberty

Los Fresnos

Matagorda

Nederland

Oak Island

Orange

Palacios

Pasadena

Pearland

Port Acres

Port Aransas

Port Arthur

Port Bolivar

Port Isabel

Port Lavaca

Port Mansfield

Port Neches

Port OʼConnor

Portland

Robstown

Rockport

Riviera/Riviera Beach

Sabine Pass

San Benito

San Leon

Sargent

Seabrook

Seadrift

Sinton

South Padre Island

Sweeny

Taft

Texas City

Tivoli

Victoria

Vidor

Louisiana

Abbeville

Akers/Port Manchac

Amelia

Arabi

Arnaudville

Avondale

Baldwin

Barataria

Belle Chasse

Belle Rose

Berwick

Boothville

Bourg

Braithwaite

Breaux Bridge

Bridge City

Buras

Cameron

Chalmette

Charenton

Chauvin

Cocodrie

Creole

Cut Off

Cypremort Point

Delacroix

Delcambre

Denham Springs

Des Allemands

Destrehan

Deville

Donaldsonville

Dulac

Empire

Erath

Franklin

Galliano

Gheens

Gibson

Golden Meadow

Gonzales

Grand Isle

Grand Chenier

Gray

Gretna

Grosse Tete

Gueydan

Gueydan

Harvey

Houma

Intracoastal City

Jeanerette

Jonesville

Kaplan

Krotz Springs

Lacombe

Lafitte

Lake Arthur

Lake Charles

La Place

Larose

Leeville

Lockport

Luling

Lydia

Madisonville

Mandeville
 60

Marerro

Maringouin

Meraux

Metairie

Montegut

New Orleans

Paradis

Patterson

Pearl River

Pecan Island

Pierre Part

Plaquemine

Pointe a la Hache

Ponchatoula

Port Fourchon

Raceland

Reserve

St. Bernard

St. Martinville

Simmesport

Slidell

Terrytown

Theriot

Thibodaux

Vacherie

Venice

Vinton

Violet

Westlake

Westwego

Youngsville

Yscloskey

Mississippi

Bay St. Louis

Biloxi

DʼIberville

Gautier

Gulfport

Kiln

Lakeshore

Long Beach

Moss Point

Ocean Springs

Pascagoula

Pass Christian

Pearlington

Waveland

Alabama

Atmore

Axis

Bay Minette

Bayou La Batre

Bon Secour

Coden

Daphne

Dauphin Island

Eight Mile

Elberta

Fairhope

Foley

Grand Bay

Gulf Shores

Irvington

Lillian

Loxley

Magnolia Springs

Mobile

Orange Beach

Perdido Beach

Robertsdale

Saraland

Semmes

Silverhill

Spanish Fort

St. Elmo

Stapleton

Summerdale

Theodore

Florida

Alva

Anclote

Anna Maria

Apollo Beach

Apalachicola

Archer

Aripeka

Bagdad

Bell

Belleair

Boca Grande

Bradenton

Bradenton Beach

Brandon

Brooksville

Cantonment

Cape Coral

Captiva Island

Carrabelle

Cedar Key

Chiefland

Chokoloskee

Clearwater

Copeland

Cortez

Crawfordville

Crystal River

DeFuniak Springs

Destin

Dover

Dunedin

East Point

El Jobean

Englewood

Estero

Everglades City

Fort Myers

Fort Myers Beach

Fort Walton Beach

Freeport

Gibsonton

Goodland

Gulf Breeze

Gulf Hammock

Gulfport

Hernando

Holiday

Holmes Beach

Homosassa

Homosassa Springs

Hudson

Indian Rocks Beach

Inglis

Inverness

Jena

Keaton Beach

Lakeland

Lamont

Lanark Village

Largo

Lecanto

Longboat Key

Lutz

Lynn Haven

Madeira Beach

Marco Island

Mary Esther

Mexico Beach

Mexico Beach

Milton

Navarre

New Port Richey

Nokomis/Odessa

North Fort Myers

Old Town

Oldsmar

Osprey

Ozona

Pace

Palm Harbor

Palmetto

Panacea

Panama City

Panama City Beach

Pensacola

Pine Island Communities 

(includes Pineland, 

Matlacha, Bokeelia, St. 

James City)

Placida

Port Charlotte

Port Richey

Port St. Joe

Punta Gorda

Redington Beach

Riverview

Royal Palm Hammock

Ruskin

Sanibel Island

Santa Rosa Beach

Sarasota

Seminole

Shalimar

Sopchoppy

Southport

Spring Hill

St. George

St Marks

St Petersburg

Steinhatchee

Suwannee

Tampa

Tarpon Springs

Terra Ceia

Tierra Verde

Treasure Island

Trenton

Valparaiso

Venice

White City

Yankeetown

Youngstown

Gulf of Mexico Summary
61

Geographic Characteristics

State land area (sq. mi): 50,744 % of U.S.: 1.43

Coastline (mi): 53 Shoreline (mi): 607

County equivalents: 61 Coastal: 8 Marine: 2

2000 Sex by Age: State of Alabama and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

M

Total F

Under

5

5 to

14

15 to

24

25 to

34

35 to

44

45 to

54

55 to

64

65 to

74

75 to

84

85 and

over

48.3%

Alabama 4,447,100 51.7% 6.7% 14.3% 14.2% 13.6% 15.4% 13.5% 9.4% 7.1% 4.4% 1.5%

Fishing 49.3%

Communities 227,399 50.7% 6.8% 14.7% 13.7% 12.8% 15.1% 13.6% 10.0% 7.7% 4.6% 1.1%

2000 Race and Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity: Alabama and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

Race Ethnicity

Total

Population White

Black or

African

American

American

Indian and

Alaska

Native

Asian

Native

Hawaiian

and other

Pacific

Islander

Some

other

race

Two

or

more

races

% Hispanic

or Latino

(of any race)

Alabama 4,447,100 71.1% 26.0% 0.5% 0.7% 0.0% 0.7% 1.0% 1.7%

Fishing

Communities 227,399 75.1% 14.8% 0.6% 7.3% 0.1% 0.5% 1.5% 1.6%

2000 Demographic Attributes: Selected Fishing Communities Compared to State Total

Fishing

Communities

Total

Population

Median

Household

Income

% Family

Households

below

Poverty Level

% Persons

over 16 in

Labor

Force

Median

Educational

Attainment

% >5 yrs Speak

Language other

than English at

Home

Alabama 4,447,100 $34,135 12.5% 59.7% Some college 3.9%

Bayou La Batre 2,313 $24,539 22.9% 53.7% HS graduate 29.1%

Bon Secour1 1,803 $39,120 11.3% 65.3% Some college NA2

Coden3 1,318 $24,750 24.3% 50.0% HS graduate NA2

Dauphin Island 1,371 $44,219 6.0% 59.5% Some college 4.7%

Foley 7,590 $31,596 7.1% 57.0% Some college 5.7%

Grand Bay 3,918 $38,941 6.9% 57.9% HS graduate 2.3%

Irvington4 1,750 $26,310 18.0% 60.6% HS graduate NA2

Lillian5 1,610 $35,813 14.6% 59.8% Some college NA2

Mobile 198,915 $31,445 17.9% 58.7% Some college 5.4%

Theodore 6,811 $33,750 16.3% 58.6% HS graduate 2.8%

Indicators for Growth and Population Well-being in Alabama

Indicator 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Population6 4,320,281 4,351,037 4,369,862 4,447,100 4,466,618 4,477,571 4,495,089 4,517,442 4,548,327 4,599,030

Building

Permits 17,732 20,533 19,029 17,406 17,706 18,403 22,256 27,411 30,612 32,034

Unemployment

Rate 4.4 3.9 4.3 4.1 4.7 5.4 5.4 5.1 3.9 3.5

Disaster

Declarations 1 3 1 3 2 2 1 1 2 0

Emergency

Declarations 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0

1

Census data for Bon Secour was identified as Block Group 4, Census Tract 114.01 in Baldwin County. 2

NA = data not available. 3

Census data for Coden was identified as Block Group 1, Census Tract 73 in Mobile County. 4

Census data for Irvington was identified as Block Group 1, Census Tract 67 in Mobile County. 5

Census data for Lillian was identified as Block Group 4, Census Tract 116 in Baldwin County. 6

Estimated population for all years except 2000; actual count was available for this year.

Alabama Tables
 62

West Florida Tables

Geographic Characteristics

State land area (sq. mi): 53,927 % of U.S.: 1.52

Coastline (mi): 770 Shoreline (mi): 5,095

County equivalents: 67 Coastal: 40 Marine: 35

2000 Sex by Age: State of Florida and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

M

Total F

Under

5

5 to

14

15 to

24

25 to

34

35 to

44

45 to

54

55 to

64

65 to

74

75 to

84

85 and

over

48.8%

Florida 15,982,378 51.2% 5.9% 13.1% 12.1% 13.0% 15.5% 12.9% 9.7% 9.1% 6.4% 2.1%

Fishing 49.7%

Communities 645,370 50.3% 4.4% 9.9% 9.5% 11.4% 15.3% 15.3% 12.6% 11.7% 7.8% 2.4%

2000 Race and Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity: Florida and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

Race Ethnicity

Total

Population White

Black or

African

American

American

Indian and

Alaska

Native

Asian

Native

Hawaiian

and other

Pacific

Islander

Some

other

race

Two

or

more

races

% Hispanic

or Latino

(of any race)

Florida 15,982,378 78.0% 14.6% 0.3% 1.7% 0.1% 3.0% 2.4% 16.8%

Fishing

Communities 645,370 81.0% 14.9% 0.3% 1.0% 0.0% 1.2% 1.5% 7.3%

2000 Demographic Attributes: Selected Fishing Communities Compared to State Total

Fishing

Communities

Total

Population

Median

Household

Income

% Family

Households

below

Poverty Level

% Persons

over 16 in

Labor Force

Median

Educational

Attainment

% >5 yrs Speak

Language other

than English at

Home

Florida 15,982,378 $38,819 9.0% 58.6% Some college 23.1%

Apalachicola 2,334 $23,073 19.9% 50.5% HS graduate 2.6%

Cortez 4,491 $36,577 7.3% 34.3% Some college 4.8%

Ft. Myers Beach 6,561 $48,045 3.0% 41.5% Some college 7.2%

Key West 25,478 $43,021 5.8% 70.1% Some college 24.8%

Madeira Beach 4,511 $36,671 4.1% 61.5% Some college 6.8%

Marathon 10,255 $36,010 9.4% 63.7% Some college 23.6%

Panama City 36,417 $31,572 12.1% 56.4% Some college 7.2%

Port St. Joe 3,644 $33,800 11.2% 49.8% HS graduate 4.7%

St. Petersburg 248,232 $34,597 9.2% 62.4% Some college 11.7%

Tampa 303,447 $34,415 14.0% 64.0% Some college 22.9%

Indicators for Growth and Population Well-being in Florida

Indicator 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Population1 14,683,350 14,908,230 15,111,244 15,982,378 16,354,728 16,682,250 16,981,800 17,366,593 17,768,191 18,089,888

Building

Permits 133,990 148,603 164,722 155,269 167,035 185,431 213,567 255,893 287,250 203,238

Unemployment

Rate 5.0 4.5 4.0 3.8 4.7 5.7 5.3 4.7 3.9 3.4

Disaster

Declarations 0 6 2 2 3 0 2 5 3 0

Emergency

Declarations 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 0

1

Estimated population for all years except 2000; actual count was available for this year.
63

Louisiana Tables

Geographic Characteristics

State land area (sq. mi): 43,562 % of U.S.: 1.23

Coastline (mi): 397 Shoreline (mi): 7,721

County equivalents: 64 Coastal: 38 Marine: 11

2000 Sex by Age: State of Louisiana and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

M

Total F

Under

5

5 to

14

15 to

24

25 to

34

35 to

44

45 to

54

55 to

64

65 to

74

75 to

84

85 and

over

48.4%

Louisiana 4,468,976 51.6% 7.1% 15.3% 15.5% 13.5% 15.5% 13.1% 8.5% 6.3% 3.9% 1.3%

Fishing 50.6%

Communities 27,188 49.4% 7.1% 15.8% 14.7% 11.7% 15.0% 13.5% 10.0% 7.2% 3.8% 1.2%

2000 Race and Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity: Louisiana and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

Race Ethnicity

Total

Population White

Black or

African

American

American

Indian and

Alaska

Native

Asian

Native

Hawaiian

and other

Pacific

Islander

Some

other

race

Two

or

more

races

% Hispanic

or Latino

(of any race)

Louisiana 4,468,976 63.9% 32.5% 0.6% 1.2% 0.0% 0.7% 1.1% 2.4%

Fishing

Communities 27,188 80.4% 10.0% 6.0% 1.8% 0.0% 0.5% 1.3% 2.5%

2000 Demographic Attributes: Selected Fishing Communities Compared to State Total

Fishing

Communities

Total

Population

Median

Household

Income

% Family

Households

below

Poverty Level

% Persons

over 16 in

Labor Force

Median

Educational

Attainment

% >5 yrs Speak

Language other

than English at

Home

Louisiana 4,468,976 $32,566 15.8% 59.4% Some college 9.2%

Abbeville 11,887 $19,714 33.3% 50.9% HS graduate 24.3%

Boothville1 291 $49,375 11.9% 51.4% HS graduate 10.0%

Chauvin 3,229 $25,922 17.1% 44.7% HS graduate 33.9%

Dulac 2,458 $22,900 27.8% 44.9% HS graduate 37.4%

Empire 2,211 $27,208 24.1% 54.6% HS graduate 9.7%

Golden Meadow 2,193 $28,690 15.4% 50.1% HS graduate 40.0%

Grand Isle 1,541 $33,548 9.1% 57.8% HS graduate 18.4%

Lafitte 1,576 $33,872 14.4% 53.9% HS graduate 7.6%

St. Bernard2 1,342 $23,566 30.0% 36.9% HS graduate NA3

Venice4 460 $30,000 22.2% 42.7% Some HS 9.5%

Indicators for Growth and Population Well-being in Louisiana

Indicator 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Population5 4,351,390 4,362,758 4,372,035 4,468,976 4,463,421 4,470,543 4,480,925 4,495,706 4,507,331 4,287,768

Building

Permits 15,144 16,483 17,836 14,720 15,653 18,425 22,220 22,989 22,811 28,671

Unemployment

Rate 5.7 5.3 4.7 4.9 5.4 5.9 6.2 5.5 6.7 4.0

Disaster

Declarations 1 1 2 1 2 2 0 2 3 1

Emergency

Declarations 0 0 2 1 1 0 1 0 2 0

1

Census data for Boothville was identified as zip code tabulation area 70038. 2

Census data for St. Bernard was identified as Block Group 1, Census Tract 301.01 in St. Bernard Parish. 3

NA = data not available. 4

Census data for Venice was identified as zip code tabulation area 70091. 5

Estimated population for all years except 2000; actual count was available for this year.
 64

Mississippi Tables

Geographic Characteristics

State land area (sq. mi): 46,907 % of U.S.: 1.33

Coastline (mi): 44 Shoreline (mi): 359

County equivalents: 82 Coastal: 12 Marine: 3

2000 Sex by Age: State of Mississippi and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

M

Total F

Under

5

5 to

14

15 to

24

25 to

34

35 to

44

45 to

54

55 to

64

65 to

74

75 to

84

85 and

over

48.3%

Mississippi 2,844,658 51.7% 7.2% 15.3% 15.7% 13.4% 15.0% 12.7% 8.6% 6.5% 4.0% 1.5%

Fishing 49.4%

Communities 120,074 50.6% 6.8% 14.3% 13.6% 13.2% 15.1% 13.7% 9.8% 7.4% 4.4% 1.5%

2000 Race and Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity: Mississippi and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

Race Ethnicity

Total

Population White

Black or

African

American

American

Indian and

Alaska

Native

Asian

Native

Hawaiian

and other

Pacific

Islander

Some

other

race

Two

or

more

races

% Hispanic

or Latino

(of any race)

Mississippi 2,844,658 61.4% 36.3% 0.4% 0.7% 0.0% 0.5% 0.7% 1.4%

Fishing

Communities 120,074 67.6% 27.3% 0.7% 2.4% 0.0% 0.7% 1.2% 1.3%

2000 Demographic Attributes: Selected Fishing Communities Compared to State Total

Fishing

Communities

Total

Population

Median

Household

Income

% Family

Households

below Poverty

Level

% Persons

over 16 in

Labor Force

Median

Educational

Attainment

% >5 yrs Speak

Language other

than English at

Home

Mississippi 2,844,658 $31,330 16.0% 59.4% Some college 3.6%

Bay St. Louis 8,209 $34,106 10.0% 60.7% Some college 7.1%

Biloxi 50,644 $34,106 11.2% 66.8% Some college 10.1%

Gautier 11,681 $41,244 15.1% 64.8% Some college 5.8%

Lakeshore1 910 $31,071 5.7% 57.3% Some college NA2

Moss Point 15,851 $32,075 15.8% 55.3% HS graduate 2.3%

Pascagoula 26,200 $32,042 18.1% 61.3% Some college 6.8%

Pass Christian 6,579 $40,743 8.2% 60.0% Some college 7.8%

Indicators for Growth and Population Well-being in Mississippi

Indicator 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Population3 2,731,826 2,751,335 2,768,619 2,844,658 2,856,108 2,863,091 2,874,171 2,892,668 2,908,496 2,910,540

Building

Permits 10,079 12,879 12,871 11,270 9,908 11,276 12,010 14,532 13,396 16,618

Unemployment

Rate 6.1 5.4 5.3 5.6 5.6 6.7 6.4 6.3 7.8 6.8

Disaster

Declarations 1 1 1 0 4 2 2 1 2 0

Emergency

Declarations 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

1

Census data for Lakeshore was identified as Block Group 5, Census Tract 302 in Hancock County. 2

NA = data not available. 3

Estimated population for all years except 2000; actual count was available for this year.
65

Texas Tables

Geographic Characteristics

State land area (sq. mi): 261,797 % of U.S.: 7.4

Coastline (mi): 367 Shoreline (mi): 3,359

County equivalents: 254 Coastal: 41 Marine: 17

2000 Sex by Age: State of Texas and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

M

Total F

Under

5

5 to

14

15 to

24

25 to

34

35 to

44

45 to

54

55 to

64

65 to

74

75 to

84

85 and

over

49.6%

Texas 20,851,820 50.4% 7.8% 15.7% 15.2% 15.2% 15.9% 12.5% 7.7% 5.5% 3.3% 1.1%

Fishing 49.3%

Communities 2,262,819 50.7% 7.9% 16.4% 14.8% 13.1% 14.9% 12.4% 8.3% 7.1% 4.1% 1.1%

2000 Race and Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity: Texas and Average of Selected Fishing Communities

Race Ethnicity

Total

Population White

Black or

African

American

American

Indian and

Alaska

Native

Asian

Native

Hawaiian

and other

Pacific

Islander

Some

other

race

Two

or

more

races

% Hispanic

or Latino

(of any race)

Texas 20,851,820 71.0% 11.5% 0.6% 2.7% 0.1% 11.7% 2.5% 32.0%

Fishing

Communities 2,262,819 70.1% 16.9% 0.5% 3.1% 0.0% 12.1% 2.5% 30.3%

2000 Demographic Attributes: Selected Fishing Communities Compared to State Total

Fishing

Communities

Total

Population

Median

Household

Income

% Family

Households

below

Poverty Level

% Persons

over 16 in

Labor Force

Median

Educational

Attainment

% >5 yrs Speak

Language other

than English at

Home

Texas 20,851,820 $39,927 12.0% 63.6% Some college 31.2%

Brownsville 139,722 $24,468 32.4% 52.4% HS graduate 87.2%

Freeport 12,708 $30,245 22.3% 54.3% HS graduate 45.3%

Galveston 57,247 $28,895 17.8% 59.7% Some college 26.5%

Houston 1,953,631 $36,616 16.0% 63.2% Some college 41.3%

Nederland 17,422 $45,188 5.5% 62.0% Some college 8.2%

Palacios 5,153 $27,623 19.8% 50.7% HS graduate 49.9%

Port Arthur 57,755 $26,455 22.9% 52.8% HS graduate 23.2%

Port Bolivar1 715 $38,631 8.8% 53.5% HS graduate NA2

Port Isabel 4,865 $25,323 21.7% 57.2% HS graduate 71.3%

Port Neches 13,601 $47,523 4.4% 63.1% Some college 8.6%

Indicators for Growth and Population Well-being in Texas

Indicator 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Population3 19,355,427 19,712,389 20,044,141 20,851,820 21,357,926 21,762,430 22,134,047 22,517,901 22,928,508 23,507,783

Building

Permits 125,974 156,729 146,564 141,231 150,342 165,027 177,194 188,842 210,611 216,642

Unemployment

Rate 5.4 4.9 4.7 4.4 5.0 6.4 6.7 6.0 5.4 4.9

Disaster

Declarations 1 3 2 1 2 3 1 0 1 2

Emergency

Declarations 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 0

1

Census data for Port Bolivar was identified as Block Group 3, Census Tract 7239 in Galveston County. 2

NA = data not available. 3

Estimated population for all years except 2000; actual count was available for this year.
 66 FIshing boat docked in Biloxi, Mississippi
67

Appendix
 68

Appendix

Shrimp boats in Grand Isle, Louisiana

The Definition of Fishing Communities

The use of the term “fishing community” in this report is 

not the same as the legal use of the term in the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act or MSA 

(P.L. 94-264, as amended by P.L. 109-479). The authors of 

this report use “fishing community” to refer to any place in 

which landings of commercially or recreationally caught 

fish are made or processed.

Section 3(17) of the MSA defines a fishing community 

as “a community which is substantially dependent on or 

substantially engaged in the harvest or processing of a 

fishery to meet social and economic needs, and includes 

fishing vessel owners, operators, and crew and United 

States fish processors that are based in such community.” 

National Standard 8 (section 301(a)(8)) of the MSA states 

that “[c]onservation and management measures shall, 

consistent with the conservation requirements of this Act 

(including the prevention of overfishing and rebuilding 

of overfished stocks), take into account the importance 

of fishery resources to fishing communities by utilizing 

economic and social data that meet the requirements of 

paragraph (2),1 in order to (A) provide for the sustained 

participation of such communities, and (B) to the extent 

practicable, minimize adverse economic impacts on such 

communities.” 

Subsequent NMFS guidelines specified that the definition 

of “fishing community” referred only to a geographic 

location or place, including its residents and businesses, 

substantially dependent on or substantially engaged in 

the harvest or processing of fish to meet the social and 

economic needs of that community.2 These guidelines 

have been in force since 1998. It must be noted that 

ports or places which do not meet these criteria for a 

“fishing community” and communities of interest ‒ such 

as gear groups or groups targeting a particular species 

‒ are considered under the fishery impact assessment 

requirements of MSA section 303(a)(9). Minorities and/

or low income populations are further considered under 

Executive Order 12898 on environmental justice.

The communities included in this report were selected by 

experts in each region primarily on the basis of pounds 

of fish reported landed in 2006, and are not necessarily 

Magnuson-Stevens Act “fishing communities.” Further 

analysis would be required to make this determination. 

________________________________

1 “Paragraph (2)” refers to National Standard 2 (section 

301(a)(3)) which states that “[c]onservation and 

management measures shall be based upon the best 

scientific information available.”

2For more information, please refer to the “Guidelines for 

Assessment of the Social Impact of Fishery Management 

Actions” available at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/reg_

svcs/social_impact_assess.htm.
69

Data Sources
 70

Geographic Characteristics

State land area and miles of coastline:

“The World Factbook.” [Accessed 25 August 2008] Central Intelligence Agency. https://www.cia.gov/library/

publications/the-world-factbook/index.html 

“The Coastline of the United States.” [Accessed 25 August 2008] National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, U.S. 

Department of Commerce.

http://shoreline.noaa.gov/_pdf/Coastline_of_the_US_1975.pdf

Miles of shoreline and number of coastal counties or coastal county equivalents:

“WorldAtlas.com.” [Accessed 25 August 2008] 

http://worldatlas.com

“The World Factbook.” [Accessed 25 August 2008] Central Intelligence Agency. 

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html

Sex by Age Tables

Total population and sex by age information::

U.S. Census Bureau. [Accessed 9 October 2008]. 

Summary File 1: Tables P1 (Total Population) and P12 (Sex by Age (Total Population))

http://www.census.gov/

Race and Ethnicity Tables

Race and Hispanic/Latino ethnicity information:

U.S. Census Bureau. [Accessed 9 October 2008]. 

Summary File 1: Tables P1 (Total Population), P3 (Race), and P4 (Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by 

Race (Total Population))

http://www.census.gov/

Demographic Attributes for Selected Fishing Communities Tables

U.S. Census Bureau. [Accessed 7 October 2008]. 

Summary File 1: Table P1 (Total Population). Summary File 3: Tables P37 (Sex by Educational Attainment for the 

Population 25+ Years), P43 (Sex by Employment Status for the Population 16+ Years), P53 (Median Household Income 

in 1999 (Dollars)), P92 (Poverty Status in 1999 of Households by Household Type by Age of Householder), and PCT10 

(Age by Language Spoken at Home for the Population 5+ Years)

http://www.census.gov/

Commercial fisheries landings by weight (used to select fishing communities):

Commercial Landings Database. [Obtained 20 May 2008] Office of Science & Technology, National Marine Fisheries 

Service, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA Fisheries). 

http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/st1/commercial/index.html

Pacific Fisheries Information Network (PacFIN). [Obtained 20 May 2008] (Primary differences between the Commercial 

Landings Database, NMFS Office of Science & Technology, and PacFIN is that the PacFIN database does not include kelp, 

seaweed, and some shellfish species.)

http://www.psmfc.org/pacfin/website.disclaimers.caveats 

Data Sources
71

Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration 

(NOAA Fisheries). [Obtained 20 May 2008] 

http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/

Southeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration 

(NOAA Fisheries). [[Obtained 20 May 2008]

http://www.sefsc.noaa.gov/ 

Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration 

(NOAA Fisheries). [Obtained 20 May 2008] 

http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/ 

Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic & Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA Fisheries). [Obtained 20 May 2008] 

http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/ 

Indicators for Community Resiliency, Growth, and Population Well-Being Tables

Annual population estimates:

U.S. Census Bureau. [Accessed 3 November 2008]: 

For 2000-2006: http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en 

For 1997-1999: http://www.census.gov/popest/archives/1990s/ST-99-03.txt 

Housing units authorized by building permits:

U.S. Census Bureau. [Accessed 3 November 2008]:

Table C40: http://www.census.gov/const/www/C40/table2.html

Unemployment rates:

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). [Accessed 13 November 2008]. Average annual, seasonally-adjusted 

unemployment rates were calculated for each year, 1997-2006.

http://www.bls.gov

Major declared disasters and emergency declarations:

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). [Accessed 3 November 2008]:

Major declared disasters and emergency declarations by state: http://www.fema.gov/hazard/index.shtm
 72 Trawlers overlook the waters of Port Orford, Oregon
73

Resources
 74

Resources

Selected publications by NOAA Fisheries Economics & Social Sciences Program Staff

U.S.

Sociocultural Research

 

Clay, P.M. and J. Olson. 2008. Defining “fishing communities”: vulnerability and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act. Human Ecology Review, 15(2): 143-160.

Abbott-Jamieson, S. 2007. Using oral history techniques in a NOAA Fisheries Service (NMFS) education and outreach 

project: preserving local fisheries knowledge, linking generations, and improving environmental literacy. NAPA Bulletin, 

28(1): 136-147.

Clay, P.M. and J. Olson. 2007. Defining fishing communities: issues in theory and practice. NAPA Bulletin, 28(1): 27-42.

Ingles, P. and J. Sepez. 2007. Anthropologyʼs contributions to fisheries management. NAPA Bulletin, 28(1): 1-12.

Sepez, J., Norman, K., and R. Felthoven. 2007. A quantitative model for ranking and selecting communities most involved 

in commercial fisheries. NAPA Bulletin, 28(1): 43-56.

Colburn, L.L., Abbott-Jamieson, S., and P.M. Clay. 2006. Anthropological applications in the management of federally 

managed fisheries: context, institutional history, and prospectus. Human Organization, 65(3): 231-239.

Pollnac, R.B., Abbott-Jamieson, S., Smith, C., Miller, M.L., Clay, P.M., and B. Oles. 2006. Toward a model for fisheries social 

impact assessment. Marine Fisheries Review, 68(1-4): 1-18.

Olson, J. 2005. Re-placing the space of community: a story of cultural politics, policies, and fisheries management. 

Anthropological Quarterly, 78(1): 233-254.

Sepez, J. 2005. Introduction to traditional environmental knowledge in federal natural resource management agencies. 

Practicing Anthropology, 27(1): 2-5. 

Sepez, J. and H. Lazrus. 2005. Traditional environmental knowledge in federal natural resource management agencies. 

Practicing Anthropology, 27(1): 33-37. 

Sepez, J. 2002. Treaty rights and the right to culture: Native American subsistence issues in US law. Cultural Dynamics, 

14(2): 143-159.

U.S. Territories and International Research

 

Griffith et al., 2007. Entangled Communities: Socioeconomic Profiles of Fishers, Their Communities, and Their Responses 

to Marine Protective Measures in Puerto Rico. J.J. Agar and B. Stoffle, eds. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-SEFSC556, 524 p. 

Impact Assessment Inc. 2007. Community Profiles and Socioeconomic Evaluations of Marine Conservation Districts: St. 

Thomas and St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. J.J. Agar and B. Stoffle, eds. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-SEFSC-557, 

123 p.

Miller, M.M., McClellan, D.B., Wiener, J.W., and B. Stoffle. 2007. Comment: apparent rapid fisheries escalation at a remote 

Caribbean island. Environmental Conservation, 34(2):1-3. 
75

North Pacific

Sociocultural Fisheries Research

Norman, K., Sepez, J., Lazrus, H., Milne, N., Package, C., Russell, S., Grant, K., Petersen, R., Primo, J., Styles, M., Tilt, B., and 

I. Vaccaro. 2007. Community Profiles for West Coast and North Pacific Fisheries - Washington, Oregon, California, and 

other U.S. States. NOAA Technical Memorandum, NMFS-NWFSC-85, 602p.

Sepez, J., Norman, K., and R. Felthoven. 2007. A quantitative model for ranking and selecting communities most involved 

in commercial fisheries. NAPA Bulletin, 28(1): 43-56. 

Poole, A. and J. Sepez. 2006. Distribution and abundance of human populations in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. 

Pp. 255-276 in 2005 North Pacific Groundfish Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation Reports for 2006, Economic 

Status of the Groundfish Fisheries Off Alaska, 2006, Terry Hiatt, ed. Alaska Fisheries Science Center: Seattle, Washington.

Poole, A. and J. Sepez. 2006. Historic and current human population trends in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. Pp. 

323-326 in 2005 North Pacific Groundfish Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation Reports for 2006, Appendix, Ecosystem Considerations for 2006, Jennifer Boldt, ed. Alaska Fisheries Science Center: Seattle, Washington.

Sepez, J., Norman, K., Poole, A., and B. Tilt. 2006. Fish scales: scale and method in social science research for North Pacific and West Coast fishing communities. Human Organization, 65(3): 280-293.

Lazrus, H. and J. Sepez. 2005. The NOAA Fisheries Alaska Native Traditional Knowledge Database. Practicing Anthropology, 27(1): 33-37. 

Sepez, J., Tilt, B., Package, C., Lazarus, H., and I. Vaccaro. 2005. Community Profiles for North Pacific Fisheries - Alaska. 

U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-AFSC-160, 552p.

Package, C. and J. Sepez. 2004. Fishing communities of the North Pacific: social science research at the Alaska Fisheries 

Science Center. AFSC Quarterly Report, April-May-June 2004, available online at: http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/Quarterly/

amj2004/amj04featurelead.htm

Sepez, J. 2003. Makah. In Dictionary of American History, 3rd Edition. Charles Scribnerʼs Sons, New York. 

Pacific 

Sociocultural Research

Norman, K., Sepez, J., Lazrus, H., Milne, N., Package, C., Russell, S., Grant, K., Petersen, R., Primo, J., Styles, M., Tilt, B., and 

I. Vaccaro. 2007. Community Profiles for West Coast and North Pacific Fisheries - Washington, Oregon, California, and 

other U.S. States. NOAA Technical Memorandum, NMFS-NWFSC-85, 602p.

Sepez, J., Norman, K., and R. Felthoven. 2007. A quantitative model for ranking and selecting communities most involved 

in commercial fisheries. NAPA Bulletin, 28(1): 43-56. 

Western Pacific

Sociocultural Research

Allen, S. and A. Gough. 2007a. Hawaii Longline Fishermenʼs Experiences with the Observer Program. U.S. Dept. 

Commerce, NOAA Tech. Memo. NOAA-TM-NMFS-PIFSC-8, 39 p.

Allen, S. and A. Gough. 2007b. Filipino crew community in Hawaiʼi-based longline fishing fleet. National Association for 

the Practice of Anthropology (NAPA) Bulletin, 28(1): 87-98. 
 76

Resources

Allen, S.D. and A. Gough. 2006a. A Sociocultural Assessment of Filipino Crew Members Working in the Hawaii-based 

Longline Fleet. U.S. Dept. Commerce, NOAA Tech. Memo. NOAA-TM-NMFS-PIFSC-6, 54 p.

Allen, S.D. and A. Gough. 2006b. Monitoring environmental justice impacts: Vietnamese-American longline fishermen 

adapt to the Hawaii swordfish fishery closure. Human Organization, 65(3): 319-328.

New England

Sociocultural Research

Abbott-Jamieson, S. 2007. Using oral history techniques in a NOAA Fisheries Service (NMFS) education and outreach 

project: preserving local fisheries knowledge, linking generations, and improving environmental literacy. National 

Association for the Practice of Anthropology (NAPA) Bulletin, 28(1): 136-147.

Pinto da Silva, P. and C. Fulcher. 2007. Human dimensions of marine fisheries: using GIS to illustrate land-sea 

connections in the Northeast U.S. herring fishery. Marine Fisheries Review, 67(4): 19-25.

Olson, J. 2006. Changing property, spatializing difference: the sea scallop fishery in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Human 

Organization, 65(3): 307-318.

Pinto da Silva, P. 2006. Fishermen at the frontlines of conservation. The Common Property Resource Digest. March 2006 

Issue.

Pinto da Silva, P. and A. Kitts. 2006. Collaborative fisheries management in the Northeast US: emerging initiatives and 

future directions. Marine Policy, 30(6): 832-841.

Ise, J. and S. Abbott-Jamieson. 2005. Students gather local fisheries knowledge as part of a NOAA Fisheries education 

and outreach project. Practicing Anthropology, 27(1): 29-32.

Olson, J. and P.M. Clay. 2001. An Overview of the Social and Economic Survey Administered During Round II of the 

Northeast Multispecies Fishery Disaster Assistance Program. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE-164. 80p. 

Available at: http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/nefsc/publications/tm/tm164/

Mid-Atlantic

Sociocultural Research

Olson, J. and P.M. Clay. 2001. An Overview of the Social and Economic Survey Administered During Round II of the 

Northeast Multispecies Fishery Disaster Assistance Program. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE-164. 80p. 

Available at: http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/nefsc/publications/tm/tm164/

South Atlantic

[No sociocultural publications for this region.]

Gulf of Mexico

Sociocultural Research

Ingles, P. 2008. Sunken boats, tangled nets, and disrupted lives: Impacts of Hurricane Katrina on two coastal areas of 

Louisiana. Pp. 145-167 in Mitigating impacts of natural disasters on fisheries ecosystems. Katherine D. McLaughlin, ed. 

American Fisheries Society: Bethesda, MD. 

Ingles, P. and H. McIlvaine-Newsad. 2007. Any port in the storm: the effects of Hurricane Katrina on two fishing 

communities in Louisiana. National Association for the Practice of Anthropology (NAPA) Bulletin, 28(1): 69-86.
77

Federal Agencies

U.S.

Economics & Social Analysis Division

Office of Science & Technology, NOAA Fisheries

http://www.st.nmfs.gov/st5/index.html

Office of Science & Technology, NOAA Fisheries

http://www.st.nmfs.gov/index.html 

Marine Recreational Information Program 

http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/mrip/index.html 

Office of International Affairs, NOAA Fisheries

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/ia/index.htm 

North Pacific

Economic & Social Sciences Research

Alaska Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries

http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/REFM/Socioeconomics/Default.

php

Alaska Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries

http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/ 

Alaska Regional Office, NOAA Fisheries

http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/

Alaska Region, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

http://alaska.fws.gov/ 

District 17, U.S. Coast Guard

http://www.uscg.mil/D17/

Office of Marine Conservation

U.S. Department of State

http://www.state.gov/g/oes/ocns/ 

Pacific 

Human Dimensions Program

Northwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries

http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/research/divisions/cbd/

humandim.cfm

Groundfish Analysis Economics Team

Fishery Resource Analysis & Monitoring Division

Northwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries

http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/research/divisions/fram/

economics.cfm

Northwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries

http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/ 

Northwest Regional Office, NOAA Fisheries

http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/ 

Socioeconomics Research

Southwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries

http://swfsc.noaa.gov/textblock.aspx?id=1038&ParentMen

uId=109 

Southwest Fisheries Science Center

http://swfsc.noaa.gov/ 

Southwest Regional Office

http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/ 

Pacific Region, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

http://www.fws.gov/pacific/ 

California & Nevada, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

http://www.fws.gov/cno/ 

District 13, U.S. Coast Guard

http://www.uscg.mil/D13/ 

Office of Marine Conservation

U.S. Department of State

http://www.state.gov/g/oes/ocns/ 

Western Pacific

Fisheries Monitoring & Socioeconomics Division

Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries

http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/fmsd/ 

Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries

http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/index.php 

Pacific Islands Regional Office, NOAA Fisheries

http://www.fpir.noaa.gov/ 

Pacific Region, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

http://www.fws.gov/pacific/ 

District 14, U.S. Coast Guard

http://www.uscg.mil/d14/ 

Office of Marine Conservation

U.S. Department of State

http://www.state.gov/g/oes/ocns/ 

New England

Social Sciences Branch

Northeast Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries

http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/read/socialsci/ 
 78

Resources

Northeast Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries

http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/ 

Northeast Regional Office, NOAA Fisheries

http://www.nero.noaa.gov/nero/ 

Northeast Region, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

http://www.fws.gov/northeast/ 

District 1, U.S. Coast Guard

http://www.uscg.mil/D1/ 

Office of Marine Conservation

U.S. Department of State

http://www.state.gov/g/oes/ocns/ 

Mid-Atlantic

Social Sciences Branch

Northeast Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries

http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/read/socialsci/ 

Northeast Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries

http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/ 

Northeast Regional Office, NOAA Fisheries

http://www.nero.noaa.gov/nero/ 

Northeast Region, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

http://www.fws.gov/northeast/ 

District 5, U.S. Coast Guard

http://www.uscg.mil/D5/ 

Office of Marine Conservation

U.S. Department of State

http://www.state.gov/g/oes/ocns/ 

South Atlantic

Social Science Research Group

Southeast Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries

http://www.sefsc.noaa.gov/socialscience.jsp

Southeast Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries

http://www.sefsc.noaa.gov/ 

Southeast Regional Office, NOAA Fisheries

http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/ 

Southeast Region, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

http://www.fws.gov/southeast/

Southwest Region, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

http://www.fws.gov/southwest/ 

District 7, U.S. Coast Guard

http://www.uscg.mil/D7/ 

Office of Marine Conservation

U.S. Department of State

http://www.state.gov/g/oes/ocns/ 

Gulf of Mexico

Social Science Research Group

Southeast Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries

http://www.sefsc.noaa.gov/socialscience.jsp

Southeast Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries

http://www.sefsc.noaa.gov/ 

Southeast Regional Office, NOAA Fisheries

http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/ 

Southeast Region, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

http://www.fws.gov/southeast/

Southwest Region, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

http://www.fws.gov/southwest/ 

District 8, U.S. Coast Guard

http://www.uscg.mil/D8/

Office of Marine Conservation

U.S. Department of State

http://www.state.gov/g/oes/ocns/ 

State Agencies

North Pacific

Alaska Department of Fish & Game

http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/

Pacific 

Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife

http://wdfw.wa.gov/ 

Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/ 

California Department of Fish & Game

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/ 

Western Pacific

Hawaii Department of Land & Natural Resources

http://www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/ 
79

Guam Office of the Governor

http://www.guamgovernor.net/ 

Department of Marine & Wildlife Resources

American Samoa Office of the Governor

http://www.asg-gov.net/MARINE%20&%20WILDLIFE%20R

ESOURCES.htm 

Division of Fish & Wildlife

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

http://www.dfw.gov.mp/ 

New England

Maine Department of Marine Resources

http://www.maine.gov/dmr/index.htm

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management

http://www.dem.ri.gov/ 

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries

http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/ 

Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection

http://www.ct.gov/dep/site/default.asp 

New Hampshire Fish & Game Department

http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/ 

Mid-Atlantic

Bureau of Marine Resources

New York Department of Environmental Conservation

http://www.dec.ny.gov/about/796.html 

New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/ 

Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/ 

Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife

http://www.fw.delaware.gov/ 

Fisheries Service

Maryland Department of Natural Resources

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/ 

Virginia Marine Resources Commission

http://www.mrc.state.va.us/ 

Division of Marine Fisheries

North Carolina Department of Environment & Natural 

Resources

http://www.ncfisheries.net/ 

South Atlantic

North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries

http://www.ncfisheries.net/

Marine Resources Division

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources

http://www.dnr.sc.gov/ 

Coastal Resources Division

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

http://crd.dnr.state.ga.us/

Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission

http://myfwc.com/ 

Gulf of Mexico

Division of Marine Fisheries

Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission

http://myfwc.com/marine/

Marine Resources Division

Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural 

Resources

http://www.outdooralabama.com/ 

Mississippi Department of Marine Resources

http://www.dmr.state.ms.us/

Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries

http://www.wlf.state.la.us/ 

Texas Parks & Wildlife Department

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/ 

Councils and Commissions

North Pacific

North Pacific Fishery Management Council

http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission

http://www.psmfc.org/index.php 

Fisheries Economics Data Program

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission

http://www.psmfc.org/efin/ 

International Pacific Halibut Commission

http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/default.htm
 80

Resources

Pacific 

Pacific Fishery Management Council

http://www.pcouncil.org/ 

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission

http://www.psmfc.org/index.php 

Fisheries Economics Data Program

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission

http://www.psmfc.org/efin/ 

International Pacific Halibut Commission

http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/default.htm 

Western Pacific

Western Pacific Fishery Management Council

http://www.wpcouncil.org/

New England

New England Fishery Management Council

http://www.nefmc.org/ 

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission

http://www.asmfc.org/ 

Mid-Atlantic

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council

http://www.mafmc.org/mid-atlantic/mafmc.htm 

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission

http://www.asmfc.org/ 

South Atlantic

South Atlantic Fishery Management Council

http://www.safmc.net/ 

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission

http://www.asmfc.org/

Gulf of Mexico

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council

http://www.gulfcouncil.org/ 

Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission

http://www.gsmfc.org/ 

International Organizations

Pacific Salmon Commission 

http://www.psc.org

North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization 

http://www.nasco.int/

International Pacific Halibut Commission

http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/default.htm

InterAmerican Tropical Tuna Commission 

http://www.iattc.org/HomeENG.htm

Western & Central Pacific Fisheries Commission

http://www.wcpfc.int/

International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic 

Tunas 

http://www.iccat.es/

Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine 

Living Resources

http://www.ccamlr.org/

International Maritime Organization

http://www.imo.org/

International Pacific Halibut Commission

http://www.iphc.washington.edu/halcom/default.htm

Red List of Threatened Species

http://www.iucnredlist.org/

Professional Organizations

The Society for Applied Anthropology 

http://www.sfaa.net/

International Association for Society and Natural 

Resources 

http://www.iasnr.org/

Other Organizations and Information

The Center for Independent Experts, University of Miami

Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science

http://www.rsmas.miami.edu/groups/cie/

FishWatch ‒ U.S. Seafood Facts 

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/

The Minnow Cafe serves Santa Barbara, California fishermen and tourists
81

Glossary
 82

Glossary

Coastal County1

A coastal county meets one of the following criteria: 1) at 

least 15% of a countyʼs total land area is located within the 

Nationʼs coastal watershed; or 2) a portion of or an entire 

county accounts for at least 15% of a coastal cataloging 

unit. Any U.S. county that meets these criteria is classified 

as coastal. 

Coastline2

The coastline is the line that forms the boundary between 

the coast and the shore. This is the line where terrestrial 

processes give way to marine processes such as tidal currents and wind waves.

County Equivalent

States use alternative terminology to designate the geographic area that is larger than a municipality but smaller 

than a state. The most commonly used term for this entity 

is “county.” Louisiana calls these entities “parishes,” while 

Alaska calls then “boroughs” and “census areas.” Parishes, 

boroughs, and census areas are considered county equivalents. 

Disaster Declaration3

A Disaster Declaration is made by a U.S. President, upon 

request of a governor, in the face of a major event like a 

hurricane, tornado, or a severe and disrupting winter storm 

that overwhelms local and state resource and response 

capabilities. The authority to declare disasters and emergencies resides in the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 

and Emergency Assistance Act (PL 100-707, November 

23, 1988) as amended by the Disaster Relief Act of 1974 

(PL 93-288). The Federal Emergency Management Agency 

(FEMA) oversees this process.

Emergency Declaration3

An Emergency Declaration is more limited in scope and 

without the long-term federal recovery programs of a 

Major Disaster Declaration. It is made by a U.S. President, 

upon the request of a governor. Generally, federal assistance and funding are provided to meet a specific emergency need or to help prevent a major disaster from occurring. 

The authority to declare emergencies resides in the Robert 

T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 

(PL 100-707, November 23, 1988) as amended by the 

Disaster Relief Act of 1974 (PL 93-288). The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) oversees this process.

Ethnicity or Ethnic Group4

This discussion of ethnic groups applies to both Census 

2000 and the American Community Survey 2004 and later 

years, unless otherwise stated. For detailed information 

about race and ethnic groups, see the technical documentation for each survey or census available at the U.S. Census 

Bureau website. 

There are two minimum categories for ethnicity: “Hispanic 

or Latino” and “Not Hispanic or Latino.” The federal government considers race and Hispanic origin to be two separate 

and distinct concepts. Hispanics and Latinos may be of any 

race.

The responses in the 1990 census showed that the placement of the question on Hispanic origin may have contributed to some confusion about the federal governmentʼs 

distinction between race and ethnicity. In the 1990 census 

the question on race appeared before the question on 

Hispanic origin, with two intervening questions, and about 

40% of the respondents who selected “Other Race” wrote in 

a Hispanic or Latino ethnicity. To highlight the distinction 

between race and Hispanic origin beginning with Census 

2000, the question on race was placed after the question 

on Hispanic origin. Also, there was a note to respondents 

instructing them to answer both questions.

Exclusive Economic Zone or EEZ5

The EEZ is the area that extends from the seaward boundaries of the coastal states to 200 nautical miles. The 

seaward boundary for most states is 3 nautical miles with 

the exceptions of Texas, Puerto Rico, and the Gulf Coast 

of Florida which is 9 nautical miles. The U.S. claims and 

exercises sovereign rights and exclusive fishery management authority over all fish and continental shelf resources 

to this 200 nautical mile boundary.

Federally-recognized Native American (American Indian) 

Tribes or Nations

The list of current federally-recognized tribes can be found 

on the Bureau of Indian Affairs website, accessible from 

http://www.doi.gov/bia/docs/TLD-Final.pdf. A governmentto-government relationship pertains between these Native 

American Tribal entities and the U.S. Government. 

Fish Stock5

The living resources in the community or population from 

which catches are taken in a fishery. Use of the term fish 

stock usually implies that the particular population is more 

or less isolated from other stocks of the same species and 

hence self-sustaining. In a particular fishery, the fish stock 

may be one or several species of fish but here is also intended to include commercial invertebrates and plants.

Fishery5

1. Generally, a fishery is an activity leading to harvesting 

of fish. It may involve capture of wild fish or raising of fish 

through aquaculture; 2. A unit determined by an authority or other entity that is engaged in raising or harvesting 

fish. Typically, the unit is defined in terms of some or all of 

the following: people involved, species or type of fish, area 

of water or seabed, method of fishing, class of boats, and 

purpose of the activities; 3. The combination of fish and 

fishermen in a region, the latter fishing for similar or the 

same species with similar or the same gear types. 
83

Fishery Management Council or Regional Fishery Management Council or FMC5

A regional fisheries management body established by the 

Magnuson-Stevens Act to manage fishery resources in 

eight designated regions of the United States.

Fishery Management Plan or FMP5

1. A document prepared under supervision of the appropriate fishery management council (FMC) for management 

of stocks of fish judged to be in need of management. 

The plan must generally be formally approved. An FMP 

includes data, analyses, and management measures; 2. A 

plan containing conservation and management measures 

for fishery resources, and other provisions required by the 

Magnuson-Stevens Act, developed by fishery management 

councils or the Secretary of Commerce.

Fishing Community

For this report, a selected fishing community refers to 

a community that was selected by an expert in a region 

primarily based on the highest commercial landings by 

weight in 2006. This definition differs from what is presented in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1802, Sec. 3(16)).

Group Quarters4

The U.S. Census Bureau classifies all people not living in 

households as living in group quarters. There are two 

types of group quarters: institutional (for example, correctional facilities, nursing homes, and mental hospitals) and 

non-institutional (for example, college dormitories, military 

barracks, group homes, missions, and shelters). In Alaskan fishing communities, group quarters are dormitories 

occupied by fishing industry seasonal workers who come 

from elsewhere. 

Hispanic or Latino origin4

People who identify with the terms “Hispanic” or “Latino” 

are those who classify themselves in one of the specific 

Hispanic or Latino categories listed on the Census 2000 

or American Community Survey questionnaire: “Mexican,” 

“Puerto Rican,” or “Cuban,” as well as those who indicate 

that they are “other Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino.” Origin 

can be viewed as the heritage, nationality group, lineage, 

or country of birth of the person or the personʼs parents or 

ancestors before their arrival in the United States. People 

who identify their origin as Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino 

may be of any race.

Household4

A household includes all the people who occupy a housing 

unit as their usual place of residence.

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act or Magnuson-Stevens Act or MSA5

Federal legislation responsible for establishing the fishery 

management councils (FMCs) and the mandatory and discretionary guidelines for federal fishery management plans 

(FMPs). This legislation was originally enacted in 1976 as 

the Fishery Management and Conservation Act; its name 

was changed to the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act in 1980, and in 1996 it was renamed the 

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 

Act.

Marine Coastal County

For this report, a marine coastal county is a coastal county 

that is adjacent to an ocean coastline.

Permit5

Also known as a license, a permit is a document giving a 

producer the right to operate in a fishery according to the 

terms established by the regulating authority.

Protected Species5

Refers to any species which is protected by either the Endangered Species Act (ESA) or the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), and which is under the jurisdiction of the 

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). This includes all 

threatened, endangered, and candidate species, as well as 

all cetaceans and pinnipeds, excluding walruses.

Race4

Race is a self-identification data item in which respondents 

choose the race or races with which they most closely 

identify.

Species5

A group of animals or plants having common characteristics that are able to breed together to produce fertile 

(capable of reproducing) offspring, and maintain their 

separateness from other groups of animals or plants.

Species Group5

A group of species considered together because they are 

difficult to differentiate without detailed examination (very 

similar species) or because data for the separate species 

are not available (e.g. in fishery statistics or commercial 

categories).

Territorial Sea5

Extends 12 nautical miles offshore of the United States. 

Individual states exercise authority over marine fisheries in 

water from the coastline to 3 nautical miles offshore, and 

out to 9 nautical miles for Texas, Puerto Rico, and the Gulf 

coast of Florida.

Tidal Shoreline6

The tidal shoreline is the line of contact between the land 

and waters that change their elevation with the rise and 

fall of the tides. Because the water elevation changes with 

tidal fluctuations, the practice is to calculate the mean high 

water line. This value is then used to draw the lines representing the tidal shoreline. 
 84

Glossary Source Materials

1”Coastal Counties” (accessed 16 July 2008). U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce. Available at: 

http://www.census.gov/geo/landview/lv6help/coastal_

cty.html 

2“Glossary of Coastal Terminology” (accessed 16 July 

2008). B. Voigt. Washington State Department of Ecology, 

Olympia, WA, March 1998. Publication No. 98-105. Available at: http://www.csc.noaa.gov/text/glossary.html

3”The Disaster Process and Disaster Aid Programs” (accessed 10 September 2008). Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 

Available at: http://www.fema.gov/hazard/dproc.shtm

4”Glossary” (accessed 16 July 2008). American FactFinder, 

U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce. Available at: http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.

html?_lang=en 

5NOAA Fisheries Glossary. October 2005. K. Blackhart, 

D.G. Stanton, and A.M. Shimada, eds. Revised edition, June 

2006. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-F/SPO-69. 

National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. Available at: http://www.st.nmfs.

gov/st4/documents/F_Glossary.pdf

6“Glossary” (accessed 16 July 2008). NOAAʼs Coral Reef 

Information System. National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. Available at: 

http://www.coris.noaa.gov/glossary/welcome.html

Glossary
85