December 31, 19$h, the bank exported about 138,000 pounds of frozen shrimp. 

 During the same period in 1955 the bank exported about 661;, 000 pounds. 

 This represents an increase of about ii81 percent, whereas the total exports 

 from Guaymas increased only about 208 percent. 



It is estimated that the Banco Nacional de Fomento Cooperativo 

 collects about $250,000 a year in taxes from the shrimp industry. Half of 

 the severance tax hS/ collected on shrimp goes to the Banco Nacional de 

 Fomento Cooperativo and the remaining half to the National Treasury. Of 

 this second half the Treasury is supposed to turn over half (25 percent of 

 the total) to the state and municipal governments. In addition to this 

 the bank also collects 15 centavos a kilogram (about .5 cent a pound) 

 on all shrimp frozen on the west coast of Mexico. This charge is not 

 levied on shrimp frozen along the east coast of Mexico. hS/ 



The funds collected from the fishing industry and turned over 

 to the cooperative bank are for the purpose of obtaining fishing gear and 

 equipment and processing plants for the cooperative fishermen, hi/ 



ii5/ The severance tax is as follovfs; 



Type of product 



Shrimp, fresh headless 

 Shrimp, fresh, whole 

 Shrimp, cooked, headless 

 Shrimp, dry, \ifithout shell 

 Shrimp, dry, with shell 



h6/ The east and west coasts of Mexico, with respect to regulations 

 applying to the shrimp industry, are quite distinct. Taxation (severance 

 and export), cooperative contracts, and fishing regulations are different, 



hi/ The cooperative banlc handles practically the entire catch of 

 west-coast lobsters exported to the United States. 



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