Labor and the Labor Process in a Limited Entry Fishery

Abstract

We examine aspects of labor in the harvesting sector of the surf clam/ocean quahog industry of the mid-Atlantic region of the United States in the context of limited entry. Vessel owners are both diversifying and cutting back on labor costs through crew consolidation in response to difficulties in the sea clam industry. A survey of crew-members on job satisfaction reveals more about the preferences and experiences of labor. We make predictions about the fate of labor under a new management regime based on individual transferable quotas. The analysis is intended to bring the interests of crew-members into the decision-making process and to improve the basis for predicting how future regulatory measures may affect crewing.