An empirical analysis of production distortions in the mid-Atlantic surf clam and ocean quahog fishery

This paper presents empirical evidence of production distortions under controlled access management in the Mid-Atlantic surf clam and ocean quahog fishery. Results indicate that vessels harvested multiple clam species even though the harvest technology exhibits diseconomies of scope. Vessels also operated in a region of the production surface where the marginal product of vessel capital services was negative. These distortions are explained by perverse regulations which restricted vessel capital replacement and severely limited fishing times.