THE V/HERHiOiTHAL OF PRODUCING 



Management of shrimp boat operations is vested either in the 

 hands of the boat owner himself or else is delegated by the latter to 

 a boat management fii-in which operates his boats on a fee basis. By 

 principal occupational activity the o^mer may either be a fisherman 

 who captains his own vessel, a processor, wholesaler, or 'absentee 

 owner' who engages in fishing operations only on a sideline 

 boiiis. 



Efficiency of production in the shrimp fishery, as in any 

 othef industry, depends on the successful assembly of the agents of 

 production. To survive, the businessman has to bring together the 

 best organization with the most economical type of equipment at the 

 most favorable location. 



Depending on the scale of operations and the location of the 

 fishing grounds the fixed investment for fishing will include some, or 

 all, of the follovjing: hull, engine, special equipment (e.g. a freezer 

 installation), spars and rigging, fishing gear, and navigational aids. 

 In addition, the fisherman must be assured of access to adequate dock- 

 ing and repair facilities. The questions which have to be considered 

 in connection with the utilisation of equipment are design and construc- 

 tion, layout, mainteiiance, repairs, cost, and service life. 



The complement of the vessels should be both good seamen and 

 good fisheiiiien. The captain, in addition, must have initiative, be 

 familiar with the location of the best shrimp grounds, know something 

 about the seasonal characteristics of the fishery, the weather and 

 topographical conditions likely to be encountered, and finally, he 

 must be a leader of men. 



Ultimately, a lot depends upon the nature of the resource 

 and the access to it. The fisherman must accept as immutable facts 

 linked to the task of gaining a livelihood from the sea, the uncer- 

 tainties of the weather, oceanographic conditions, and the risks of 

 fishing itself. Yot, he must make an effort to cope with these hazards. 

 Migration may be the answer to seasonality, the use of special goer to 

 rough bottoms, and the heeding of weather warnings to reducing 

 storm losses. 



Shriiiiping, as conducted today, is predominantly a trawling 

 opei'ation. This applies regardless of the size of boat or type of 

 shrimp landed. The boats are equipped with nets the size of which is 

 dependant upon the size of the boat. 



The operating characteristics of boats currently employed in 

 the fisheiy are geared to the trawling process. This makes shrimp boats 

 mainly one-purpose boats which cannot be easily converted for other 



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