operational costs or shrimp vessels undertaken by the Federal Trade 

 Commission. Wlaere vessels had changed hands since launching those 

 cost figures did not represent cost of construction. The data collect- 

 ed reveal (1) substantial dil'ferences in cost between different-size 

 vessels, (2) marked variations in costs betijeen vessels of sitailar 

 lengtn and capacity acquired in the same year, and (3) the high per- 

 centage, in some instances more than 50 percent, of total investment 

 represented by cost of engine and electronic and freezing equipoient. 

 The following examples illustrating these points may be cited: 



(a) Cost of acquisition in 195U of a fully equipped 31- 

 foot vessel with a 6-ton capacity vas ^11,000 compared 

 to a 62- foot vessel with a 25 -ton capacity whicn vas 

 acquired equipped with engine and special apparatus 

 for $35,330. 



(b) Fully equipped vessels of like capacity and length, 

 i.e.,U0-foot, 38-foot and l43-foot, acquired in 1953 

 varied in cost from $3,000 up to $13,000. 



(c) Cost of hull acquisition in 195U in the case of one 

 vessel was tl6,000j witn |10,000 spent for tne engine 

 and $9,330 for special equipment. 



Fishing Gear 



The types of gear described below relate to the equipiiient 

 used in the South Atlantic and Gulf Area« Although several types of 

 gear have been used in the commercial slirimp fishery of this area since 

 1880, only two may be regarded as standard equipment. These are haul 

 seines, introduced about 1872, and shrimp travils (otter trawls), intro- 

 duced about 1912. Haul soincs had become standard gear by 1880, but 

 were almost completely replaced by slirlmp trawls by 1930. Other types 

 of gear used on a minor scale wore skijn nets, cast nets, push nets, and 

 dip nets. Cast nets, push nets, and dip nets are used almost entirely 

 to eaten slirimp for bait purposes. 



Cast Nets 



There is considerable variation in the size of cast nets. 

 They are circular, usually from 10 to 15 feet in diameter and have a 

 lead line running around the outside edge. A cord line extends tlirough 

 a metal ring in the center of the net, and from this end there radiate 

 nuiiinrous smaller cords which are fastened at regular intervals to the 

 lead linej the other end of the cord is held by the fisherman. The net 

 ia cast in such manner that it falls flat on the water in the shape of 

 a disk. Wnen the weighted edges of the net have settled to the bottom, 

 the fisherman draws in tne cord attached to the net which pulls the 

 edges to the center, thus foriaing a circular bag to hold the captured 

 Bhrlinp, The net is then hauled up and emptied and another cast made. 



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