PANAMA 



Only th2 Pacixic coast of Panama produces slirino. 

 Host or th3 catch is talcen in the Gulf of Panama and landed 

 at four froesin^; plants in the toijn of Panama. Only 

 Panamanian-built boats can fish in waters over the Continental 

 Shelf. The Panamanian export of vrlTite-slirimp tails may 

 possibly increase to about 5 to 8 million pounds annually; 

 the United States imported about 3 million pounds of these 

 shrirp in 1951!. The quantity of pinks and sea bobs that may 

 be produced in the future is unknown. The pack of white 

 shrinp runs about 80 to 8$ percent under 15 to the pound, 

 headless. About 85 percent of the catch is exported to the 

 United States. Shrimp are Panaitia's second most in5)ortant 

 export item. 



COiniERCIAL SPECIES AND FISHING GROUl^TBS 



There are three species of large slirimp, Penaeus occidentalis m 

 P. stylirostris , and P. vann amei, known as wh" te shrimp in Panama. All 

 are ^called "langostinos," and'tHe fishennen and dealers make no distinc- 

 tion between the three. P, oc cidentalis is generally of a rustier color 

 than the other tvro g^ecies, but at times' it cannot be distinguished from 

 P. stylirostris by color alone. 



The smaller species of shrimp are called "camarones," These 

 consist of "rojos" or pinks (P. brevirostr is), "titi" ( Xiphopeneus riveti 

 and Protractypene precipua ) , and "indio," "carabeli," '»tigre," or "zebra" 

 (Trachypeneus byrdi and T. face ) . 



The langostinos are large shi*imp. The pack runs about 33 per- 

 cent under 10 to the pound headless, $0 percent ll/l5> 10 percent 16/20, 

 5 percent 21/35 count, and 2 percent peeled and pieces. 



The largest pinks run 21/25 to the pound headless, but the bulk of 

 the catch is between 26/30 and iil/50 count. 



The indio is smaller than the pink, and the titi is still smaller. 

 Usually both the indio and titi are peeled and deveined. In this state the 

 indio is generally \mder 60 to tie pound, and the titi 60 and over. 



Most of the white shrimp are taken between 3 and 10 fathoms, rarely 

 beyond 15 fathoms. The pink are caught out to about 30 fathoms and the titi 

 in shallow water close to shore. 



The Panamanian Government has not maintained records of the 

 amount of shrirp taken each year. The catches can best be approximated 



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