Overview
The Town of Orleans requested the Cape Cod Commission's assistance with an economic impact analysis of Rock Harbor. This assessment used four methods—a business survey, an intercept survey, analysis of cellphone data, and an input-output model (IMPLAN)—to estimate the harbor's economic contribution and impact. The development of the business survey benefited from the input of the Cape Cod Commercial Fisherman’s Alliance.
The commercial fishing activity at the harbor directly impacts employment and labor income. Rock Harbor has capacity for 61 docked boats, 26 (42%) of which are commercial and charter boats, with the rest registered for private recreation only. Commercial and charter boat respondents to the survey provide nearly 40 jobs, primarily seasonal, and a direct labor income effect of between $1.9 and $2.5 million annually.
The beach, the natural scenery around the harbor, and the CG36500 Coast Guard boat anchored during the summer months provide significant historical, cultural, and ecosystem services values that residents genuinely cherish but that were not quantified as part of this study. This study revealed that most visitation is independent of the economic activity of the boats at the harbor. People visit the harbor because of the scenery and the beach, and residents particularly enjoy the sunsets at this location. Free and ample parking is a crucial feature that allows people to briefly visit the harbor during lunch hours or for a quick detour after visiting businesses in town. The estimated ripple effect of economic contribution from tourists in the town is close to $127,000 over the summer, mostly in food and beverages purchased before visiting the harbor.
Methodology
This study used four methods to estimate the economic value of the harbor by looking at commercial fishing-related jobs and the economic contribution of the visitors' spending in town. These allowed a multidimensional understanding of the harbor dynamics and its impact on the area and also aimed to capture its historical and cultural value for the residents and visitors.
This study's first and core component was a business survey targeted at boat captains and businesses located within the Rock Harbor vicinity (up to a mile away from the harbor) that may have customer visitation linked to the harbor. The input-output model estimates the economic impact of the jobs at the harbor based on survey responses. An intercept survey and cellphone data analysis complemented this assessment and provided insight into visitation patterns and drivers of visitation.
