GULF OF MEXICO COMMERCIAL SHRIMP POPULATIONS 



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• -LOUtSlAMA COAST 

 •-reiAS CO*ST 



LOUISIANA COAST 



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S FISMABLE 8I0MAS3 iNDEI 



£ H0IML-SI2E DISTRIBUTION Cc«n«rc>oi YUI0 ( 



l*M 1997 



FiGiRE 14. — Yield and structure of brown shrimp popula- 

 tions off the northwestern Gulf coast, 1956-59. 



brown shrimp stock exhibited no marked depar- 

 ture from the norm obtained for that period. Al- 

 thougli commercial offshore and inshore yields 

 diminished significantly in 1958, the correspond- 

 ing fishable biomass remained at appro.ximately 

 the same level as that attained the 2 previous 

 years. Slightly upward population trends were 

 noted for the 4-year period. Yield composition 

 displayed tlie same year-to-year pattern. Heavj- 

 midyear catches were comprised predominantly 

 of small shrimp, and light late- and early-year 

 catches of comparativeh* larger shrimp. Assum- 

 ing intensity of fishing remains more or less con- 

 stant, i.e., fall-winter broods are not exploited 

 more lieavih' than past observations indicate, 



A COMHCttClAL VICLO (MIMM »r »•«•••. M*M.s*l 

 • •EAST HCIICAN CMSr 

 •-OMCOON-CAH^CHC 



Figure 15. — Yield (to United States fishermen only) and 

 structure of brown shrimp populations off the Mexican 

 Gulf coast, 1956-59. 



midyear yields of small to medium-size shrimp 

 should stabiHze at the 1956-59 level. 

 Western Gulf Populations 



Analysis of western segments of the northern 

 Gulf coast's brown shrimp stock proceeded on a 

 coastal-area basis as before. Commercial effort 

 and catch data for the Louisiana Coast (statistical 

 subareas 13 to 17), Te.xas Coast (subareas 18 to 

 21), and East Mexican Coast (subareas 22 to .30) 

 areas are given in condensed form in appendix 

 tables 1 and 2. The latter table also includes 

 small quantities of brown shrimp taken in the 

 Obregon-Campeche area (subareas 31 to 34). 

 Annual landings from specified inshore waters will 

 be found in appendix table .5. 



Commercial yield. — Brown shrimp production 

 off the northwestern Cmlf coast during tlie years 

 1956-59 fiuctuatcd about annual averages of 12.4, 

 43.3, and 19.3 miUion pounds, respectively, in tlie 

 Louisiana. Texas, and east Mexican coastal areas. 

 Landings by the United States fleet ranged from 

 a low of 8.2 million pounds taken off Louisiana in 

 1957, to a high of 49.4 million pounds harvested 

 off Te.xas in 1959. Yield trends were up in all 

 areas with Texas exhibiting the steepest climb. 



Yield curves again displayed the typical midyear 

 highs and winter lows (figs. 14 A and \'^.V . Com- 



