The principal method of fishing is with beam trawls varying 

 from 18 to 2k feet in width. These are usually operated from diesel- 

 powered craft from 25 to 50 feet in length. The shank net is also 

 used. It is a rigid-footed dredge net about 12 feet in width adaptable 

 for towing either by boat or horse and cart. Hose nets, which are 

 fixed to stakes, are used on a small scale in estuarine channels, being 

 tended and reset with each tide. Push nets are used in shallow waters 

 and sandy beaches. These are small manually operated dredge nets. 



Prairms are fished in rocky areas near the shore by means of 

 pots and hoop nets. The season for prawns is from May to December. 

 During the winter the brown shrimp and pra>.Ti move offshore to some ex- 

 tent. The pink shrirnp enter inshore waters in late spring and disperse 

 into deeper water during the winter. 



Fishermen engaged in the shrimp industry at one time could 

 benefit from the Inshore Fishing Industry Act in the form of loans and 

 grants for the purchase of boats and engines. This aid is no longer 

 available to the shrimp fisheries. However, there is a duty on imported 

 shrimp and licensing requirements. 



According to the Fisheries Mnistry, the shrin?) industry in 

 Great Britain could be expanded by improved marketing procedures. The 

 introduction of a standardized system of grading and sorting, a better 

 system of collection of catches, installation of cold storage at ports, 

 and the use of shrimp-peeling machines are some of the means to this 

 end. Landings might be increased by improved methods of fishing. 



Shrimp are potted for sale largely to the British market, 

 but some attempt has been made to export potted shrimp. Some are also 

 quick frozen in 1-pound or smaller packages. 



Shrimp exports are not shown separately in British customs 

 reports. United States iiports of shrimp from Great Britain are shown 

 in the following summary: 



Pounds Value 



29 



