More fish and shellfish were landed at Shinnecock/Hampton Bays in 1994 than at any other commercial fishing port in New York according to the National Marine Fisheries Service.Shinnecock is strategically located near the eastern most inlet in the barrier island system that protects Long Island's south shore from the ocean. This location provides fishermen with good access to productive coastal and offshore fishing grounds as well as to important high volume and high value markets. Captain Bob Soleau, owner of four Shinnecock trawlers noted that "Shinnecock is fortunate because of it's access and proximity to the New York (City) market and its ability to deliver a top quality product packed at sea." Quality is high because fishing trips tend to be short, product is boxed at sea, and it arrives at the wholesale market within several hours after the vessels arrive at the dock.
Shinnecock is located in the Hampton Bays area of the Town of Southampton on the south shore of eastern Long Island about 90 miles east of New York City and 30 miles west of Montauk. To be consistent with NMFS harvest statistics for "Shinnecock", this profile includes a description of commercial fishing activities based at the port on the barrier island adjacent to Shinnecock Inlet as well as the commercial fishing activities in the village of Hampton Bays.
In 1994 16.5 million pounds of fish and shellfish with a dockside value of $10.2 million were landed at Shinnecock according to the National Marine Fisheries Service. For most of the past decade commercial fishery landings have exceeded 10 million pounds each year with a total dockside value ranging from $7 to 10 million. Annual landings increased from approximately 11 million pounds in 1991 to over 16 million in 1994 which is the last year that complete statistics were available from NMFS. Industry sources who have worked at Shinnecock for many years report that they believe that landings have been consistent for much of the past decade with some fluctuations related to problems associated with shoaling in the Shinnecock Inlet.
More squid and whiting were landed at Shinnecock each year for the past decade than all other species combined. Annual squid landings ranged from 1.5 to 4.6 million pounds with a dockside value of $1.2 to $3.6 million each year during the period from 1986-94. The squid catch has consistently been Shinnecock's top revenue generator since 1991 and for most of the past decade. Whiting or silver hake is the second most valuable species landed at Shinnecock. Whiting landings ranged from slightly more than 1 million pounds with a dockside value of $0.5 million in 1986 to a peak of 4.7 million pounds with a dockside value over $2.1 million in 1993.Large amounts of surf clams and ocean quahogs or mahogany clams have been landed at this port since 1991. Over 3.6 million pounds of ocean quahogs worth $1.3 million, and 850,000 pounds of surf clams worth $0.3 million were landed at Shinnecock in 1994. The amount of ocean quahogs and surf clams combined exceeded whiting landings in 1994, and the combined dockside value of these two clam species was only slightly less than the whiting catch that year.
Flounder is an important product to the port of Shinnecock. Summer flounder (fluke) has traditionally been the most important species in terms of both volume and value of product landed at this port, followed by yellowtail and winter flounder. Peak summer flounder landings of 1.3 million pounds with a dockside value of $2.2 million were recorded by NMFS at Shinnecock in 1988. Since that time, annual landings of all flounder species has declined at Shinnecock and other Northeast and Mid Atlantic ports as flounder stocks have declined. Industry sources at Shinnecock were supportive of management efforts to preserve flounder resources while expressing concern about inconsistencies in quota allocations and the implementation of management regulations.
A variety of other important commercial fish species are also landed at the port of Shinnecock. Scup (porgies) has consistently been one of the top 5 species over the past decade both in terms of the total volume of the catch and its dockside value. Other important species include butterfish, monkfish, bluefish, cod, and less well known "Hidden Treasures" species like Atlantic mackerel, red hake, and skates.
The commercial fishing fleet based at Shinnecock is one of the largest and most modern in New York and the surrounding area. Several different types of commercial fishing activity are based at this port. The following descriptions of the Shinnecock fleet are based on information provided by industry representatives who live and work at this port including: Mel Moss, President of the Shinnecock Fisherman's Cooperative and owner of two vessels, Captain Bob Soleau and his wife Donna owners of four Shinnecock based commercial fishing vessels, Ed Warner, Jr. a baymen from Hampton Bays, and Roger Tollefsen, of Indian Cove Seafood and President of New York's Seafood Council.Traditional otter type trawlers are the most common type of fishing vessel based at Shinnecock. These vessels catch a variety of different fish species by towing conical shaped nets with different mesh sizes through the water at various depths. Modifications are made in gear, fishing techniques, and fishing grounds to target different species over the course of the year. These vessels fish in a wide area ranging from waters within sight of land to fishing grounds hundreds of miles from shore and their home port. Most Shinnecock vessels typically fish year round and provide full time employment for their captain and crew.
Industry sources estimate that there are 30 to 35 commercial trawlers based at the port of Shinnecock. An additional 10 to 20 transient vessels off load their catch at Shinnecock at various times. of the year. Shinnecock trawlers average 60-65 feet in length with a range from 40-90 feet. Each vessel employs an average of 3 individuals (1 captain and 2 crew). The smallest vessel is operated by a single individual who serves as both captain and crew and the largest vessels have a captain and 4 crew members. Approximately 100 individuals make their living working on Shinnecock trawlers fishing in the Atlantic ocean.
Squid and whiting are the most important products harvested by Shinnecock based trawlers. Other important species include: scup, fluke, butterfish, bluefish, and weakfish. Most of the trawl catch is off loaded at either the Shinnecock Fisherman's Cooperative or the Shinnecock Fish Dock where it is then loaded onto trucks for shipment to market. Shinnecock based industry sources estimate that approximately 80% of the catch is sold on consignment at the country's largest wholesale seafood market, the Fulton Fish Market in Manhattan.
Clam dredge vessels that harvest surf clams and ocean quahogs from offshore fishing grounds have become increasingly important at Shinnecock over the past several years. These 70 to 120 foot vessels are transient harvesters of offshore clam beds that work their way from Cape May to Rhode Island and back again each year. Industry sources estimate that 2 to 8 of these vessels pack out at Shinnecock at certain times of the year, and their catch makes a significant contribution to the total volume and value of the port's annual harvest. These vessels generally employ 4 individuals, a captain and 3 crew. Most of the vessels that off load their catch at Shinnecock are owned by or have sold their catch on contract to clam processors. These vessels generally pack out at the Shinnecock Fish Dock or Pell's Dock and their catch is shipped by truck to processing plants in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Jersey or Delaware.
Industry sources also report that 1 to 2 longline vessels are based at the port of Shinnecock. These vessels (one 60 feet long and the other 85 feet) fish offshore for pelagic species like tuna and swordfish. Each vessel employs four individuals, a captain and 3 crew. Most of their catch is sold to local processors or wholesalers or to other eastern Long Island dealers. One to 3 lobster boats averaging 40 feet in size are also based at Shinnecock according to industry sources.
These vessels work an average of 500 lobster pots each, employ 2 individuals, and sell most of their catch to local dealers. There are four to five gillnetters who regularly set their gear in the ocean for fish species like monkfish, bluefish and weakfish. These vessels average 40 feet in length, employ two individuals each, and sell most of their catch to local seafood dealers.
A number of baymen also work in the Shinnecock/Hampton Bays port area. Local industry sources estimate that are 10 to 15 full time baymen who are involved in several different fish or shellfish fisheries in the bays in the Shinnecock area. These baymen use pound or fyke net fish traps and gill nets to catch fish in local bays, and their catch is primarily sold to local dealers. Many baymen also harvest shellfish like clams, oysters or mussels. Fishing activity in the bays around the Hampton Bays/Shinnecock area traditionally peaked during the bay scallop season which starts in the fall. Industry sources estimate that at least 100 individuals worked part time in this traditional fishery that generated a considerable amount of economic activity for local residents and businesses. This traditional source of income and employment in the area has been drastically reduced over the past decade" by algae blooms like the brown tide.
Three private commercial docks and one public dock are located on the barrier island adjacent to the Shinnecock Inlet. The three private docks, the Shinnecock Fishermens Cooperative, the Shinnecock Fish Dock, and Pell's Dock, provide the facilities and pack out and supply services necessary for the commercial fleet to operate effectively. A publicly owned "Town Dock" also provides docking slips that can accommodate 20 commercial vessels. The Shinnecock Fish Dock and Pell's Dock are privately owned and managed facilities. The Shinnecock Fishermens Cooperative and the town dock were created in the early 1980s. Local industry sources credit these facilities for creating new opportunities that have helped Shinnecock to expand and develop over the past decade into one of New York's largest commercial fishing ports.The Shinnecock Fishermens Cooperative ("the Co-op") was formed by vessel owners in 1984 to provide stable off loading and pack out facilities at the port. The Co-op has 20 members all of whom are owners of Shinnecock based commercial fishing vessels. The Co-op leases, manages, and maintains dock and off loading facilities, and provides a variety of services to its members. It provides supplies such as fish boxes, ice, fuel and oil, packout services for vessels, and coordinates the off loading, packing, and trucking of product to market. The Co-op is only a service provider to member vessels, and never actually owns or sells the product off loaded or shipped from its facilities. The Co-op employs 5 individuals. The current dock manager, Gary Rothenberg, manages day to day operations and current President, Mel Moss, is responsible for negotiating longer term arrangements and contracts. Co-op policies are determined by its Board of Directors.
Another important milestone in the development of the port of Shinnecock was the completion of the port's public dock locally referred to as the "Town Dock". The Town Dock, completed in 1984, was actually developed and constructed by Suffolk county with federal assistance. The county currently leases the dock to the Town of Southampton which manages and leases the 20 slips at this facility to commercial fishing vessels. Completion of this public dock was significant because it allowed Shinnecock fishermen to assume more control of their business by providing the opportunity to secure a place to dock their vessel while retaining the opportunity to sell their own catch. Shinnecock Co-op President Mel Moss was enthusiastic about the infrastructure improvements at Shinnecock and commented that "compared to what was available in the past, the port and its facilities today are fantastic".
An ongoing issue for Shinnecock is to ensure safe access to the port and its dockside facilities through the Shinnecock Inlet. The inlet was created naturally by a hurricane in 1938 and was stabilized in the early 1950s when a jetty was installed. By the early 1980s consistent shoaling was causing significant damage to boats traversing the inlet and created conditions that resulted in several tragic accidents. Larger vessels were not able to safely navigate the inlet. A local organization of fishermen's wives called the Concerned Wives of Shinnecock Fisherman who worked on this issue for almost 10 years was able to help secure funding to improve conditions in the inlet which was dredged in 1991-92. As a result the fishing fleet has been able to focus on planning and investing in the equipment necessary to remain competitive and profitable into the next century.The industry is currently concerned about the condition of the access road to the port's commercial facilities as well as to the public beaches, parks, restaurants and recreational boating facilities in the area. Beach erosion has been severe in recent years and the access road to all of these facilities has experienced severe flooding after almost every major storm. Flooding has affected shoreside facilities used by commercial fishermen and hindered access to their vessels and markets after these storms. Industry sources report that a beach stabilization project for the area is expected to begin soon.
Overall, the outlook for Shinnecock is positive. Significant improvements in shore based facilities have helped the port to not only survive but to expand to its full potential. Industry sources anticipate a need for a source of fresh potable water and 3 phase power to remain competitive. Most fishermen at Shinnecock and other ports throughout the region are also concerned about the diminishing resource base, and the variety of impacts that increasingly complex state and federal fisheries management regulations are having on their business. Although significant expansion is not expected to occur in the near future, Shinnecock fishermen remain optimistic that they can maintain their businesses and continue to be competitive and profitable into the twenty first century.