the Bureau-operated Motor Vessels Combat , 

 Pelican , and Silver Bay . 



Zooplankton Organisms of the Cape Canav- 

 eral Area--These data were abstracted from 

 published and unpublished nnaterial resulting 

 from cruises of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serv- 

 ice M/V Theodore N. Gill during 1953 and 1954. 



Dipnet and Troll Collections-- These few 

 records were taken from published reports 

 of Theodore N. Gill cruises. 



Recreational Fishery of the Cape Canaveral 

 Area- -The basic data were obtained during 

 field surveys conducted from February to 

 October 1963. 



THE COMMERCIAL FISHERIES 



Landings for the commercialfisheries in the 

 Cape Canaveral Area during 1959-62 varied 

 from a low of 5,319,200 pounds in 1959 to a 

 high of 6,931,900 pounds in 1961, witha4-year 

 average of 6,048,300 pounds. Value was also 

 lowest in 1959 at $690,381 and highest in 

 1961 at $l,219,948--the 4-year average value 

 was $1,006,977. In table 1 are the weights and 

 values of all landings for 1959-62, by species, 

 by year, with 4-year averages. (The poundages 

 of finfishes are in round weight as landed; 

 shellfish, including shrinnp, are given in round 

 weight with the exception of oysters, scallops, 

 and clams which are reported as pounds of 

 meat; dollar values are ex-vessel.) 



Operating units (fishermen, vessels, boats, 

 and gear) are tabulated in table 2 by years, 

 with a 4-year average. Fishing craft of 5 net 

 tons and over are listed as vessels, and those 

 under 5 net tons are classified as boats with 

 nnotors or as boats, other. Fishermen on boats 



are divided into two categories: Regular 

 fishermen--those who receive half or more 

 of their annual income from fishing; and 

 casual fishermen--those who receive less than 

 half their annual inconne from fishing. 



In the Cape Canaveral Area about 31 whole- 

 sale producers buy or handle the production 

 of the area fishermen: (1)4 producers of blue 

 crabs and crab meat, (2) 7 producers of 

 shrimp and fish (nnostly fronn the ocean), 

 (3) 8 producers of oysters, and (4) 12 producers 

 of fish from both the inside waters and the 

 ocean (largely from gill net fishing). 



Four-year averages of production by gear 

 show the runaround gill nets to be the most 

 productive with catches of 2,557,075 pounds; 

 followed by otter trawls with 1,622,625; crab 

 pots with 1,251,250; and handlines with 463,1 00 

 pounds. In value of production the otter trawls 

 are first with $568,240; followed by runaround 

 gill nets, $236,291; handlines, $98,161; and 



