WESTERN GERMANY 



liJhile the btilk of the catch is processed into poultry feed. 

 Western Germany is actually one of the largest producers of shrimp in 

 the world. In 1955, the catch totaled 9U.6 million pounds. The country 

 accounts for more than 50 percent of all shrimp produced in Western 

 Europe. Shrimp constitutes about 5 percent of the total Western German 

 fishery catch. 



The following summary shows the Western German shrimp catch 

 and utilization for the three years 1953-55 (from the Corporation for 

 the Promotion of Coastal Fisheries, Central Marketing Agency): 



Catch Utilization 



Poultry feed Human consumption 



Thousand Thousand Thousand 

 pounds pounds pounds 



1953 88,076 78,609 9,ii67 



1951; 73,18U 63,358 9,826 



1955 9U,626 82,190 12,i;36 



The principal species caught is Crangon crangon , but the catch 

 includes red, brown, and sand shrimp. Shrimp of the type used for poultry 

 feed number about 1,000 to 1,U00 shrimp to the pound. The shrimp used for 

 human consumption number about 200 to 250 shrimp to the pound. The male 

 shrimp, largely used in shrimp meal, grows to an average length of about 

 2 inches. The female shrimp reaches a length of about 3 inches. The 

 shrimp season normally starts late in March and extends through December 

 with the peak runs occurring from mid- July through October. 



Shrimp are caught in a l5-mile coastal zone along the North Sea 

 coast and in the estuaries of the Elbe, VJeser and Ems Rivers in water 6 

 to hS feet deep. A total of 67I1 vessels and 1,800 fishermen using small 

 trawl nets are engaged in the fishery, A small amount of shrimp is taken 

 with stationary gear. Fishing outside the coastal areas has not been 

 economical because the shrimp are too widely scattered. The principal 

 ports of the shrimp fleet are Husum, Toenning, Buesum, Friedrichskoog, 

 Cuxhaven, Dorum, Neuharlingersiel, Norddeich, and Greetsiel, 



More than 70 percent of the vessels of the Western German 

 shrimp fleet are 30 to liO feet long. The balance are small motor launches 

 and larger type cutters of about SO feet. The vessels over 30 feet are 

 powered by diesel motors of 1^0 to 75 horsepower. The size of the cutters 

 is limited by the shallow waters along the coasts. The medium-sized cutter 

 has been found more economical in operation. Two trawl nets are fished 

 simultaneously, one carried on each side of the vessel by beams extended 

 from the mast of the ship. 



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