between Apalachea Bay and tho Dry Tortugas grovinds in search of level 

 bottom sufficiently clear of coral and loggerhead sponge to permit trawl- 

 ing with conventional type trawling gear. The few drags made in leaa 

 hazardous-appearing areas off Cedar Keys, Tanpa, and Boca Grande generally 

 resulted in severe gear damage. 



Owing to the time-consuiaing nature of developing trai^ling gear 

 suited to this type of bottom, experiments were limited in favor of ex- 

 plorations in areas suitable to existing gear. However, some progress 

 has been made in combating certain trawling hazards. Several types of 

 bottomless trawls were used successfully in loggerhead-sponge areas. 

 They were designed to brealc the sponge ax/ay from the bottom and permit 

 it to pass between stringers running from the tickler chain back to the 

 unweighted lead line. Subsequent comparison drags mth standard com- 

 mercial trawls shovjed an average reduction of 75 percent of trash and 

 scrap fish and a reduction of the shrimp catch by about 30 percent. 



Extensive areas along the wast coast of Florida and on the 

 Carapeche Bank within the depth range of pinlc-grooved shrimp Penaeus 

 duorar um received scanty exploratory trawling prior to 19$h-~~^hS~~' 

 possible development of confined liraited production areas was indicated 

 by the occasional good catches in small isolated gulleys of clear mud 

 bottom; the presence of pink shrimp in Boca Grande Harbor, Tampa Bay, 

 Cedar Keys, and off Apalachicolaj and scattered pink slirimp caught in 

 exploratory drags throughout the 10-to 25-fathora depth range on bad 

 bottom. However, either clear bottom should be located or gear devel- 

 oped to overcome the natural trawling hazards. 



Royal Red Shrimp 



Beyond the edges of the continental shelf there has been no 

 commarcial shrimp fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. Snapper fishermen 

 have extended the range of their fishing from about 80 fathoms to about 

 150 fathoms within the past few years. This has been possible because 

 of ne\r developments In fishing gear, such as power reels, stainless 

 steel wire lines, and electronic aids for finding position, depth, and 

 good fishing places. Deep-water fishing for snappers has not been 

 better than fishing in shallower water, but it has made it possible for 

 snapper fishermen to move offshore during periods of teinporaiy poor fish- 

 ing on the shallow banks. The net result has not been larger daily 

 catches but better trips and greater seasonal earnings for well-equifjped 

 and well-managed vessels. 



In the opinion of the exploratory fishing and gear research 

 specialists of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the devel- 

 opment of a deep-water fishery for Royal Red shrimp Hyinanopenaeus robustus 

 may eventually create a supplement to the inshore fisheiy :ija~the~GuiF'of — 

 Mexico. Preliminary explorations of the "Oregon" indicate that the pros- 

 pects for coijiiuarcial exploitation of Royal Red shrimp are good. 



3I4 



