TEXAS SHRIMP FISHERIES AND FRESHWATER INFLOW 



Ralph Rayburn 



Texas Shrimp Association 

 Austin, Texas 



ABSTRACT 



The shrimp industry is a signif- 

 icant industry in Texas . The econom- 

 ic impact of shrimp to this State was 

 approximately one-half billion dol- 

 lars in 1979. The continued viabil- 

 ity of this fishery is directly re- 

 lated to the well being of the criti- 

 cal marsh and estuarine habitats. Wa- 

 ter managers must therefore consider 

 this impact in all planning pro- 

 cesses . 



INTRODUCTION 



The State of Texas has long 

 held a reputation as a major pro- 

 ducer of animal protein for the 

 Nation. While in the public's 

 mind this notoriety might be thought 

 to result from only the production 

 of beef, it should be noted that 

 Texas is also a leader in the har- 

 vesting of seafood. According to 

 statistics supplied by the National 

 Marine Fisheries Service in their 

 publication Fisheries of the United 

 States 1979 , Texas produced 

 million pounds of seafood in 



84.9 

 1979 



with a value of $160.2 million. Of 

 this, approximately 42 million 

 pounds were shrimp with a value of 

 $152 million (Farley personal com- 

 munication) . This exvessel value 

 represents an economic impact of 

 approximately $500 million per year. 



HISTORY OF THE SHRIMP FISHERY 



The shrimp fishery originated 

 in the bays and estuaries of the 

 Gulf of Mexico. Fishery pioneers 

 used large drag seines set close to 

 shore and hauled by men or horses. 



Using this method, shrimp fish- 

 ing was worthwhile only when shrimp 

 were abundant near shore. The otter 

 trawl was introduced into the shrimp 

 fishery between 1912 and 1917. Using 

 this gear, the fishermen continued 

 to shrimp entirely in bays and 

 shallow water, however, the otter 

 trawl did reduce the seasonality 

 of the fishery. Eventually, the in- 

 dustry expanded and fishing grounds 

 in the offshore region were dis- 

 covered . 



As the industry developed from 

 its conception along the coastal 

 shores to its current status as a 

 multi-million dollar contributor to 

 the economy, two distinctive forms 

 emerged. These forms are known as 

 the bay shrimp industry and the 

 gulf shrimp industry. Each indus- 

 try has its own character and per- 

 sonality. In addition, harvesting 

 practices vary considerably in the 

 two groups based on the importance 

 of the particular shrimp species 

 and the growth period within which 

 harvesting takes place. 



There are three 

 shrimp which basically 



species of 

 support the 



431 



