THE SHRIMP FISHERY 



167 



The trawl in common use by the whole fleet through most of the 1950's, 

 and still used by the majority of the vessels fishing for white shrimp, is 

 typically 80 to 100 feet across the mouth. These trawls are of two kinds, 

 the flat trawl and the balloon trawP. A principal difference between the 

 two kinds is that the head rope of the balloon trawl rises higher in the 

 water; in addition, it picks up less ''trash," such as shells and sponges, 

 than the flat trawl. 



A major change in gear took place in the late 1950's when many 

 vessels began to replace the single trawl net by a pair of smaller trawls. 



K-^ 



|9^^ 



Figure 12.1. "Florida-type" shrimp vessel. 



''Double-rig" trawls were used in the early 1960's by nearly all boats 

 fishing for pink and brown shrimp. The two nets are each 40 to 45 feet 

 across and are fished from long, stout outriggers, one on each side of the 

 vessel. The port trawl is fished about 25 fathoms behind the starboard 

 trawl to avoid fouling. Between them is fished the try-net. This is a 

 miniature trawl, eight to ten feet across the mouth, which is employed 

 to inform the fishermen it is worth while putting the big nets overboard. 

 The general adoption of the two-trawl gear has been due to the easier 

 handling of the smaller nets, smaller initial cost of gear, smaller losses in 

 case of destruction or damage to the nets, increased safety, and of greatest 

 consequence, increased production. 



