usually extends from October 16 to April 30, The fishinc croXt and gear 

 u:s-cd in tlie ocean fi!5b.ery are ear^ily adiipted to other fichciriea, Thore- 

 foro, the intensity with which thy slirimp fishery is purauod during the 

 opon cc;i-jon often hxpj-os on tho profitability of fishing for shrjjnp as 

 against fishing for other specios. 



In the Washington fishei^, the open seanon In certain areaa 

 extenda from April 1 to November 30 for the trap fishery and froia July 

 1 to November 30 for the trawl fishery. But even during the open season 

 the mviiber of crai't and fishermen engaged in the shrimp fishery is 

 contjjiront upon the profitability of such ventures as compared with 

 other fisheries. As is true of many of the other areas discussed, the 

 VGDselD employed in the shrL^np fishery were primarily designed for other 

 fisheries . The fisherman are equally as proficient in the one as in the 

 other; and whether or not they engage in the shrimp fishery or in soma 

 other fiyhei-y is dependent upon which pursuit appears to offer the 

 greater financial return. 



In the eight States comprising the South Atlantic and Gulf 

 Area, the inshore or coastal fisheries are seasonal due to the migrations 

 of the Ghrimpj and these vary slightly from one State to the other. In 

 the South Atlantic States the migrations are along the coast, but in 

 the Gulf States they are seauord-shoreward. Some of the States have 

 closed seasons which coincide more or less irxth these migrations. 



In the offshore fisheries, particularly in the Gulf Area, the 

 slirimp fishery is a year-round operation,, and many fishermen and vessels 

 are engaged exclusively in this fishery. This is particularly true of 

 the larger vessels, most of the newer ones having been designed and 

 built solely for operation in the shrimp fishery. The smaller vessels 

 and boats, whose shrimping operations are confined almost entirely to 

 the inshore or coastal fisheiy, frequently change to other fisheries 

 during the closed seasons for shriinp and x^rh3n other seasonal fisheries 

 (crabs, oysters, etc.) appeal- to offer greater financial return. 



THE II4PACT OF THE i;;XTENSlON OF TliE. FISHING AREA IN RECENT YMRS 



The discoveiT of new fishing grounds in the Gulf Area has 

 wrought important changes in the shrimp industry. The greater distance 

 from shore of the new shrimp beds has necessitated the building of 

 larger, more sturdily constructed vessels. To prevent deterioration, 

 better methods of handling, storing and transporting shrimp had to be 

 developed. 



The rich beds of the Dry Tortugas and of the Gulf of Carapeche, 

 at the same time, produced a shift in the center of production in the 

 fishory to the west. Lured by the success of fishing the new grounds, 

 some fishermen transferred their activities from the Atlantic coast to 

 southuost Florida. Simultaneously, the operations out of ports located 

 in the southern portion of Texas mushroomed. Other fishermen, reluctant 



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