OUTLOOK FOR PRODUCTION 



Brazil can, and undoubtedly ;d.ll, increase her shrirap produc- 

 tion. It is difficult to estimate the quantity thab nay be available for 

 export. A certain amount most likely >j111 be exported but the policy has 

 tended towards increasing local consunrotion rather than encouraging ex- 

 ports. With the exception of less than a thousand pounds of canned shrimp 

 e:qDorted to Uruguay, all of the 19$$ production uas consumed \-dthin the 

 country. As the transportation, storage, and marketing facilities increase, 

 the consunption of shriiap is bound to increase. 



Little is kno^/n about the production possibilities of the area 

 northwest of the Amazon delta, but in all probability the sea bob, a 

 shriitp of small adult size, is by far the most abundant in this area. 

 The sea bob is the most abundant form in the Guianas and in the northern 

 fishery east of the delta. It seems to become progressively more dominant 

 on the nursery grounds as one proceeds north and west along the coast from 

 Sao Luiz, Brazil, to Paramaribo, Surinam. The sea bob is a suitable size 

 for dryingj tlie larger of the species are of coclctail size. The small 

 size of shrimp and the lack of shore and port facilities make it unlikely 

 that this area will become productive in the near future. 



The area in the north most likely to increase production is that 

 lying between Baia de Mara jo and Sao Luiz. Before production can be 

 increased appreciably, trawling will have to be introduced. Under Brazil- 

 ian law, however, trawling is not permitted within 3 miles of the coast. 

 Furthermore, tidal currents are strong, and shore facilities are generally 

 lacking. There do seem to be definite possibilities of producing large 

 and jximbo vrhite and brovm slirimp. V/l"ien fully developed, this area could 

 probably produce annually considerably more than twice the estimated 

 current heads-on weight. 



Between Parnaiba and Santos there are no extensive estuarine 

 nursery grounds for slirimp, and in many places the feeding grounds for 

 the adiiLts appear to be limited. Perhaps the shrimp catch along this 

 stretch of coast eventually will be twice or moi'e the estimated $ million 

 pounds, heads-on weight, now taken each year. It seems probable, though, 

 that any catch increase in this area iri-ll be for local consumption. 



Most of the shrimp now taken in the southern zone betv/een 

 Cananeia and Rio Grande are immature shrimp from the nursery grounds. 

 It is estimated that between 5 and 10 million pounds, heads-on xroight, 

 of shrirqj are caught in tliis area each year. This amount can probably 

 be doubled or tripled providing suitable trawling grounds can be develqped 

 at sea. 



FISlffiRIIEN AND GEAR 



There are probably about 20 thousand fishermen, all part-time, 

 catching shrimp in Brazil, Of this number, about 12 thousand are employed 



16 



