A new comprehensive look at fishing’s place in Lincoln County’s economy shows a growing impact on income in the county.
The Resource Group of Corvallis looked at the financial indicators surrounding both commercial and recreational fishing between 2012 and 2019, as well as related and connected activities to produce a picture of the pre-pandemic impact of the seafood industry.
The study was commissioned by Lincoln County and the Midwater Trawlers Cooperative, which represents 29 vessels, most of which are based in Newport. The effort was viewed as an update to an economic study performed by the same firm in 2012, which focused more broadly on the county’s economy.
That historic information gave researchers a good point of comparison and what they found was that, in 2012, commercial fishing accounted for 9.9 percent of Lincoln County’s earned income. By 2019, that figure had grown to 14.2 percent.
Lincoln County Commissioner Kaety Jacobson said an up-to-date look at the industry motivated the county to back the study.
“Unlike a lot of other economic data, commercial fishing data can change rapidly from year to year and especially in a five year or more period,” said Jacobson. “Changing regulations, changing ocean conditions, a lost market and many other variables can drastically shift catch rates and price.”
Jacobson said the updated information can help county leaders and the community “to better understand where the industry is at and what it is currently facing.”
Combining commercial and recreational fishing, the study estimated the total economic contribution to the local economy at $176 million in income in 2019. But there was even more to take into consideration, the report’s authors said.
Shannon Davis and his research team looked at more than just the immediate income of those working directly with fishing boats. They also looked at marine-related businesses and reports from past years that documented the impact of those activities connected to fishing and adjusted them for 2019 dollars. The total related and connected economic contribution is estimated to be an additional $170 million in income.
The combination of fishing industry income and the adjusted figures for related and connected activities income resulted in a total income of $346 million, according to the report. This represents 7,400 jobs, according to Davis.
Documenting tangible impact and real figures was important to the report’s sponsors.
“Newport has always been very fishing oriented but more so than ever we are becoming the only one-stop authentic working waterfront,” said Heather Mann, MTC executive director. “With three shipyards in Lincoln County, multiple gear and marine supply shops, the net shop, and both large and small seafood processors, this area is not only a hub for all things fishing, we are a tourist destination because of it.
“We thought there was a real lack of understanding by some former (Newport) port officials, state legislators, and others about the importance of our fishing fleets as a critical piece of the rural economy,” she added.
The report also broke out what individual fishery contributions. In 2019, the total harvest value of all fisheries in Lincoln County was $59.3 million, of which Dungeness crab accounted for 42.1 percent of value, followed by Pacific whiting at 14.4 percent, pink shrimp at 11.7 percent, groundfish (other than sablefish and whiting) was 8.4 percent, followed closely by sablefish and Albacore tuna – both making up 8.3 percent of the harvest value. Salmon, Pacific halibut, and other species make up the balance.
The contribution of recreational fishing was also a part of the study. Total ocean and lower river spending in the Newport area, which includes Depoe Bay and Alsea Bay, was estimated at $23 million in 2019, and that did not include tourist spending.
The report’s sponsors say the document should serve as a useful resource for decision-makers, including helping apply for economic development grants, investment opportunities, bank lending, and to help county commissioners or city councils in their decision-making.
Jacobson said it sheds light on an industry that is not well known by some.
“The tourism industry, our second largest identified earned income sector, is visible when you see tourists in town, at restaurants, and on the beach,” she said. “But commercial fishing, which is our largest identified earned income sector, is largely invisible to the community. Understanding the numbers helps people realize the industry’s worth and how it benefits our community.”