SECTION 9 

 MISSISSIPPI RIVER FISHERIES 



Commercial landings of fish and shellfish from the waters of the Mississippi River and tributaries 

 were 72.5 million pounds valued at $15.0 million, a decrease of 2.9 million pounds and $700,000 compared with 

 1974. Landings decreased for most major species of fish and shellfish. Landings of buffalofish (23.4 million 

 pounds) decreased 7 percent; carp (15.4 million), 9 percent; catfish and bullheads (13.0 million), 8 percent; 

 sheepshead (5.4 million), 11 percent; and mussel shells (2.1 million pounds), 37 percent. Landings of crawfish 

 (6.6 million pounds) increased 85 percent compared with 1975. 



Buffalofish, carp, catfish and bullheads, sheepshead, crawfish, and mussel shells accounted for 91 

 percent of the volume and 94 percent of the value. The landings were made by 12,993 fishermen, using 12,211 

 motorboats and 280 other boats. This was a decrease of 58 fishermen and 65 motorboats, but an increase of 

 21 other boats compared with 1974. 



Louisiana was the leading State in volume with 13.4 million pounds, followed by Arkansas (9.4 

 million) and Tennessee (6.5 million pounds). Arkansas led in value of landings with $3.0 million, followed by 

 Louisiana ($2.9 million) and Tennessee with ($1.4 million). 



The value of processed products was $61.3 million— $20.2 million (49 percent) more than in 1974. 

 Frozen packaged fishery products valued at $38.5 million were 63 percent of the total value of processed 

 items. There were 2,601 persons employed in 352 wholesaling and processing plants in 22 States in 1975. 



Other information. This report contains summary tables on operating units and landings in the Mississippi 

 River Fisheries. Complete statistics by State on operating units, landings of catch by gear, and landings by 

 waters are on file in the Washington Office of the Data Management and Statistics Division. Summary data 

 appearing on the following pages have been published previously in Current Fishery Statistics No.7233. 



Acknowledgments. The following organizations helped collect the data appearing in this section; Alabama 

 Department of Conservation, Division of Game and Fish; Arizona Game and Fish Department; Arkansas Game 

 and Fish Commission, Division of Fisheries; Idaho Fish and Game Department; Illinois Department of 

 Conservation, Division of Fisheries; Indiana Department of Conservation, Division of Fish and Game, Section 

 of Fish Management; Iowa State Conservation Commission, Division of Fish and Game; Kansas Forestry, Fish 

 and Game Commission, Fisheries Division; Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources; Louisiana 

 Wild Life and Fisheries Commission; Minnesota Department of Conservation, Division of Game and Fish, 

 Section of Fisheries; Mississippi Game and Fish Commission; Missouri Conservation Commission; Montana 

 Deparment of Fish and Game, Fisheries Management; Nebraska Game, Forestation and Parks Commission, 

 Fishery Division; North Dakota Game and Fish Department, Fisheries Division; Ohio Department of Natural 

 Resources, Division of Wildlife, Section of Fish Management; Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, 

 Division of Fisheries; South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks; Tennessee Game and Fish 

 Commission, Fish Management Division; Texas Game and Fish Commission, Inland Fisheries; West Virginia 

 Department of Natural Resources; Wisconsin Conservation Department, Fish Management Division; and the 

 Tennessee Valley Authority, Fish and Game Branch. 



