to abandon the Atlantic fishery altogether, started to fish part-time in 

 the nexjly discovered grounds while continuing to take advantage of the 

 fishing season for white shrimp on the Atlantic coast. Since a fishing 

 craft is highly mobile, boat owners are in a position to "follow the 

 crop" . Domicile for these fishermen, consequently, has become a mere 

 formality of registration. 



The migratory character of a section of the industry has left 

 its imprint on shriniping as an occupation. Shrimping was at one time 

 very seasonal and often v/as combined with agricultural pursuits. While 

 in the northern extremity of the south Atlantic coast shrimping and 

 farming may still be combined by some seasonal fishermen, shrimping more 

 recently has become for most a fvill-time occupation. To be able to work 

 the year around the fishermen has to change residence with changing em- 

 ployment opportunities. The readiness of the shrimp fisherman to follow 

 the job, in turn, has solved many problems of labor recruitment and has 

 made possible the establishment of new shrimp bases without regard to 

 existence of a local labor supply. Aside from a relocation of existing 

 shrimping activities the discovery of the nev; grounds led to an influx 

 of fishermen who traditionally fished for other fish; and of even more 

 significance, the influx of people formerly not connected iri.th the 

 fishing industry. 



The changing geography of the fishery has affected the size 

 of enterprise. The need to obtain financing for the larger boats re- 

 quired for the Dry Tortugas and Campoche fisheries has forced the fish- 

 erman to turn to processors, and interests outside the industry, for 

 funds. There also has been a tendency on the part of boat ovmers to 

 associate with fleets operated by processors j in some instances, 

 resulting in vertical integration of fishing with processing operations. 



The geographic distribution of shrimping activities influence 

 the economic life of various areas of the coxmtry to different degrees. 

 Outside the Atlantic and Gulf coast regions shrimping is of relatively 

 small economic significance. Even in the two principal regions of pro- 

 duction, however, the industry is of varying importance locally. Shrimp 

 fishing and processing, thus, may be a major econoiaic factor in smaller 

 communities in this area while in the larger cities it may be of minor 

 significance as a source of income. There are a few cities such as 

 Brosmsville, Texas, and Tanqpa, Florida, which may be called specialized 

 shrimp ports. In most ports in the area, however, other marine pursuits 

 are carried on in addition to shrimping. 



Due to differences in its geographic complexion, the shrimp 

 industry in the South may be classified into four major sub-areas; the 

 Atlantic Coast Area comprising the States of North and South Carolina, 

 Georgia, and northeastern Florida; southviestern Florida with the prin- 

 cipal ports of Key West, Tampa, and Fort Myers; the north Gulf region 

 which includes the coastal areas of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana; 

 and, finally, Texas with its more than i;00 miles of coastline. 



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