180 DESCRIPTION OF IMPORTANT FISHERIES AND THEIR PRODUCTS 



Shrimp used for drying are usually the small sizes. A large proportion 

 of the sea bobs, Xiphopeneus kroyeri, which are caught are processed by 

 this method. 



The production of sun-dried shrimp in the United States in 1959 was 

 322,000 pounds, valued at $291,000.00. The quantities produced have 

 shown a steady decline over many years; production in 1940 was nearly 

 two million pounds and in the early 1950's about a million pounds. The 



Figure 12.6. Packing of raw breaded shrimp {"Fish Boat," H. L. Peace Publi- 

 cations.) 



decreasing importance of dried shrimp has probably been brought about 

 by the introduction of mechanical peeling. The small sizes of shrimp 

 previously used for drying, which could not economically be hand-peeled, 

 can now be peeled mechanically. Canners, therefore, use shrimp formerly 

 bought only by the driers. 



Shrimp are delivered to the drying plants with the heads on. They 

 are washed and boiled in l^rine for approximately 15 minutes, depending 

 on the size and kind of shrimp. The cooked shrimp are dipped from the 



