THE SHRIMP FISHERY 



163 



As with the southern shrimp fishery, that of the Pacific Coast was 

 originally centered in the bays and inshore waters. Small shrimp have 

 been caught for many years in San Francisco Bay, and small quantities 

 have been produced from Puget Sound for a long period. In recent years 

 the fishery has expanded considerably in all four of the Pacific states, 

 under the impetus of increased markets and with the innovation of an 

 efficient shrimp peeling machine which allows the small shrimp of this 

 area to be handled without undue labor costs. The potential of this 

 fishery appears to be very large, especially in Alaska, and there seems 

 to be every expectation of great expansion if markets can be encouraged. 

 At present the shrimp from this area are mostly sold canned or in the 

 cooked frozen state rather than breaded or raw frozen as is the case with 

 the larger southern species. Production of frozen, peeled meats preformed 

 into shapes or logs for later fabrication into breaded shrimp, shrimp 

 sticks, or other forms has recently begun and appears to be a promising 

 outlet for the small Pacific shrimp. 



Production 



Beginning in 1952 shrimp has been the most valuable marine resource 

 of the United States, replacing salmon and tuna, one or the other of 



Table 12.3. Quality and Value of 



United States Shrimp Catch for 



Various Years 



Source: U.S. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries. 

 * Values for Gulf of Mexico only. 



