SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC REPORT- FISHERIES No
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^y y - -^^•^^r' Marine Biological Laboratory! SURVEY OF WOODS HOLE, MASS. THE UNITED STATES SHRIMP INDUSTRY VOLUME I SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC REPORT- FISHERIES No. 277 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE . EXPLANATORY NOTE The series embodies results of investigations, usually of restricted scope, intended to aid or direct management or utilization practices and as guides for administrative or legislative action. It is issued in limited quantities for official use of Federal, State or cooperating agencies and in processed form for economy and to avoid delay in publication United States Department of the Interior, Fred A, Seaton, Secretary Fish and Wildlife Service, Arnie J. Suomela, ComniisEioner SURVEY OF THE UNITED STATES SHRIMP INDUSTRY VOLUME I Prepared in Branch of Economics Bureau of Commercial Fisheries United States Fish and t.'ildlife Service Special Scientific Report—Fisheries No. 277 Washington, D. C. November 1958 The Library of Congress has cataloged this publication as follows: U. S. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries. Survey of tlie United States shrimp industry. Prepared in Branch of Economics, Bureau of Commercial Fisheries. Washington, 1958- V. illus. 27 cm. (U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Special scientific report : fisheries, no. 277, Includes bibliography. 1. Shrimps. (Series) SH11.A335 no. 277, etc. 639.5 59-60018 Library of Congress The Fish and Vildlife :3ervice series, Special Scientific Report—Fisheries, is cataloged as follows: U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Special scientific report : fisheries, no. 1- (Washingtonj 1949- no. illus., maps, diagrs. 27 cm. Supersedes in part the Service's Special scientific report. 1. Fisheries—Research. SH11.A335 639.2072 59-60217 Library of Congress ii ABSTRACT This report published in two volvunes provides a oomprehensive exaiidJiation of the shrimping grounds, vessel coubtruction, fishing operations, fishing costs, processing plant efficiency, pix>cessing costs, ti*ends in distribution, packaging, storing, shipping, per capita consumption, prices, wholesaling, retailing, merchandising, and consumer preferences, A chapter on conclusions and recomraendationa finds that the shrii!:y industry's welfare can be safeguarded best (1) by increasing the efficiency of operations at all levels and thu3 effecting cost savings in shi-iinp production, proc- essing and diatribution and (2) by stabilizing markets. Specific suggestions to impivve current pi-actices are made thi'ouyhout. For exan^)le, the chapter on processing contains the reaultd of engineering surveys which provide plans for modal layouts for freezing and breading plants and canneries. An eco.somc analysis is made of the problems of marketing and price stability. The pix>ject was financed with funds made available by the Saltons tall -Kennedy Act, approved July 1, 195U (68 Stat. 376). iil ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Survey of the United States Shrimp Industry was compiled by staff members of the Branch of Economics, Bureau of Commercial Fisheries from sources of information and technical advice available, for the most part, from within the Bureau. The results of special research projects undertaken under contract arrangements with private firms, universities, and other government agencies to supplement these sources of infonnation are incorporated in this report. The survey originated under the direction and supervision of the late Dr. Richard A. Kahn, Chief, Economics and Cooperative Marketing Section, Walter H. Stolting, Assistant Chief, and Otto Rauchschwalbe, Economist. The economic analysis and the text are largely the work of Robert Hamlisch, Economist. The report was prepared for publication under the direction of Alton T. Murray, Economist. Charles A. Carter, Commodity Analyst, provided the references to the historical develop- ment of shrimp fishing and processing industries. Donald S. FitzGibbon prepared the graphs and charts; Evelyn H. Kramer and Saralyn V. Wolff assisted in the preparation of statistical tables. Stewart Springer, Chief, Branch of Exploratory Fishing and Gear Research, and James B. Higman of that Branch gave technical advice for the development of the chapters on fishing vessel construction 8uid fishing operations. Charles Butler, Chief, Branch of Technology; William H. Dumont, Assistant Chief, Branch of Statistics; and Stacey C. Denham, Fishery Marketing Specialist, were consulted on technical subjects. The A. C. Nielsen Company contracted for a sub-project on distribution, merchandising and consumer preference; the University of Miami, at Coral Gables, Florida, for primary marketing; Harwell, Knowles and Associates, for vessel efficiency; the Federal Trade Commission, for fishing vessel and processing plant costs; First Research Corporation of Florida, for processing plant efficiency and for time and motion studies of fishing operations. Lawrence W. Strasburger, Consultant, reviewed the manuscript, particularly the chapters concerned with processing. All figures were prepared by United States Fish and Wildlife Service personnel, except those specifically credited. iv PREFACE Discovery of new fishing grounds, e:q3anding markets, and the increase in the size of the fleet have contributed to the drainatic grovrth of the shrimp industry within the past decade. Currently, the shrimp fishery is the most important in the United States measured by the value of landings. Moreover, the shrirrp processing industries and distributive channels have also greatly expanded their facilities and the volume and variety of shrimp products reaching the national market during the past decade. The period of growth and expansion of the shrimp industry v;as marked by occasional setbacks and periods of marketing doldrums. It was during these periods that some of the basic problems of this industry were revealed as pitfalls to be avoided in the future. Fortu- nately, none of these basic problems appear insoluble. Rather the shrimp industry's general welfare is related mainly to the solutions of a lot of little problems —all of them concerned with increasing the efficiency of operations at all levels and thus effecting cost savings in shrimp production, processing, and distribution. Survey of the United States Shrimp Industry examines all phases of the fishery, vessel construction, operation, and gear used in fishing, production costs, the physical layout and efficiency of processing plants, packaging, distribution, and marketing. Every effort has been made throughout the survey to provide specific suggestions and recommendations for improving current practices. Volume I of this repor-t contains the first five chapters which deal with production and processing, Volurae II contains the last four chapters, three of which deal with marketing and the last chapter contains a summary of conclusions and recommendations. Survey of the Shrimp Fisheries of Central and South America and Foreign" Shrimp Fisheries other than Central and South America referi'ed bo in the text have been published as Special Scientific Report—Fisheries No. 235 and No. 25I4, respectively. VI VOLUME I TABLE OF CONTEMTS Par^e CI-IAPTER I - THE DOMESTIC SUPPLY 1 The Geographic Location of the Industry - General Characteristics 2 The shrimp fishery in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico areas 2 Domestic shrimp fisheries outside the South Atlantic and Gulf areas I4, Species Representing the Commercial Catch 8 Distribution of the Commercially Important Species of Shrimp in the Coastal Waters of the South Atlantic States and the Gulf 15 Species taken on South Atlantic fishing grounds l5 V/hite shrimp I6 Royal Red shrimp I7 Species taken on Gulf of Mexico fishing grounds 17 Bottom conditions of fishing grounds 17 History of explorations and development of fishing grounds I9 I-Jhite shrimp 22 Brox-jn shrimp 25 Pink shrimp 33 Royal Red shrimp 3I4. Factors Determining the Availability of Supply 38 The Impact of the Extension of the Fishing Area in Recent Years 111 Supply Outlook 1^3 Management of Supply 1(8 State regulatory poijers 1x9 Effect of state regulations 50 Selected References 53 CHAPTER II - AGEMTS OF PRODUCTION 61 The VJherewithal of Producing 62 Equipment 63 Fishing craft 63 Types of craft employed 63 Wood versus steel construction 67 Shortcomings in design and construction of craft currently employed 68 vii Page CIL\PTER II - AGEMTS OF PRODUCTION - Continued Equipment - Continued Fishing craft - Continued Specific recommendations on vessel desi;-<n and _' construction -,, Layout and arrangement aboard ship -72 Hull maintenance n-. Vessel accidents t^ Statistics on fishing . craft y^ Typical vessel prices yy Fishing gear qq Cast nets oq Haul seines o-. Shrimp travrls o-. Gear preferences or Gear used in the bait fishery 89 Bait fishing methods n]_ Spars and rigging m Recent improvements in rigging 93 Equipment requirements for deep water shrimp fishin^ qL Engines 'Z ^^ Freezing equipment 01- Navigational and fisiiing aids 95 Automatic pilot oq Depth recorders og Radio telephone qo Radio direction finding equipment lOO Depth sounder v/ith cathode ray tube 100 Loran ^^^ Radar -.qo Other navigational aids ]_03 Extent of use of electronic devices in the shrijiip fleet ;L03 Typical prices of electronic devices , IO3 Docking and repair facilities lOl; Fishermen hqi Boat ownership ^q\ Boat owners' oi'ganizations ]_08 The Twin City Fishermen's Cooperative Association 109 Fishermen 2.^2 Compensation of crews ]_2^r Statistics on fishermen ]_]_y Labor organizations l]^y List of Organizations in the Shrimp Industry- 12i; Selected References