from the United States inports, since exports have all been to tha 

 United States, About 600,000 pounds of headless shriinp are consumed 

 annually in Panama. 



It is estimated that Panama produced about I4.3 million pounds, 

 headless weight, of shrimp in 195U. 



Probably 80 percent or more of the total Panama shrimp catch 

 is white shrimp. Of this amount, Penaeus occidentalis accounts for 

 85 to 90 percent, and the remainder is about equally divided between 

 P. stylirostris and P. vannamei . 



The pink and titi and indio combined are represented in about 

 equal amounts in the remaining 20 percent of the catch. About 500,000* 

 poxmds of pinlc shrimp (headless weight) were caught in 1955* In 195U 

 about 200,000 pounds of peeled and deveined titi and about 20,000 pounds 

 of indio were produced. The 1955 production of these last two species 

 was about twice that of 1951i« 



Trawling for individual species of shrimp is definitely 

 seasonal. The best months for whites, titi, and indio are from April 

 through November. The pinlc slirimp season is between January and April. 



It is probable that the upwelling of cold water in the Gulf 

 of Panama during the dry season (December to March or April) has an 

 important bearing on the shrinp seasons. 



Shrimp fishing with cast nets and seines is an ancient art 

 in Panama, The use of otter trawls to catch shrimp, on the other hand, 

 is quite recent, starting in 19U6, when one trawler began fishing for 

 shriiip. The c atches of this boat soon flooded the Panamanian marke-^ 

 and the ovmer was forced to seek an esqDort outlet which was found in 

 the United States. Interest rapidly developed in shrirp fishing and 

 boats began pouring into Paiirmia. As a result there are now about 90 

 trawlers in Panama. 



All of these boats fish on the pacific sidej there are no 

 developed fisheries along the Caribbean shore. Shrimp occur there, 

 but they are reported to be scattered, the trawling grounds few and 

 roclcy, and the weather generally bad. 



There are two fishing areas on the Pacific side of Panama, 

 One is in the Gulf of Panama, and the other is in the west and extends 

 from about Funta Mariato to the Costa Rican border. The Gulf of Panama 

 is considerably more productive than aire the western grounds. Tlie 

 catch from both grounds is landed in the town of Panama, 



135 



