NOAA technical memorandum NMFS-SEFC ; 121

During the summer of 1982 there were 22 outbreaks of seafood-associated gastroenteritis in New York State. Investigations documented the illness in 443 people and attributed the outbreaks to ingestion of raw or lightly cooked clams. The New York State Department of Health issued a news release recommending immunoglobulin prophylaxis for hepatitis A for those persons with gastroenteritis. Because of the publicity associated with these disease outbreaks and the concomitant regulatory actions, market demand and prices for clams were adversely affected. From an economic model of the clam market, it was estimated that, as a result of the gastroenteritis outbreaks, the price of littlenecks dropped $7.33 per bushel at the wholesale level, or approximately 9 percent. Cherrystone and chowder prices also declines comparable amounts. The total market loss from the price decreases was estimated at $1,840,000 over the five month period. A conservative estimate of the co~ts of investigations, medical care, lost time, and materials was $630,000.

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)

New York (State)