PREFACE 



Discovery of new fishing grounds, e:q3anding markets, and the 

 increase in the size of the fleet have contributed to the drainatic 

 grovrth of the shrimp industry within the past decade. Currently, the 

 shrimp fishery is the most important in the United States measured by 

 the value of landings. Moreover, the shrirrp processing industries and 

 distributive channels have also greatly expanded their facilities and 

 the volume and variety of shrimp products reaching the national market 

 during the past decade. 



The period of growth and expansion of the shrimp industry 

 v;as marked by occasional setbacks and periods of marketing doldrums. 

 It was during these periods that some of the basic problems of this 

 industry were revealed as pitfalls to be avoided in the future. Fortu- 

 nately, none of these basic problems appear insoluble. Rather the 

 shrimp industry's general welfare is related mainly to the solutions 

 of a lot of little problems — all of them concerned with increasing the 

 efficiency of operations at all levels and thus effecting cost savings 

 in shrimp production, processing, and distribution. 



Survey of the United States Shrimp Industry examines all 

 phases of the fishery, vessel construction, operation, and gear used 

 in fishing, production costs, the physical layout and efficiency of 

 processing plants, packaging, distribution, and marketing. Every effort 

 has been made throughout the survey to provide specific suggestions and 

 recommendations for improving current practices. Volume I of this 

 repor-t contains the first five chapters which deal with production and 

 processing, Volurae II contains the last four chapters, three of which 

 deal with marketing and the last chapter contains a summary of 

 conclusions and recommendations. 



Survey of the Shrimp Fisheries of Central and South America 

 and Foreign" Shrimp Fisheries other than Central and South America 

 referi'ed bo in the text have been published as Special Scientific 

 Report—Fisheries No. 235 and No. 25I4, respectively. 



