located at tlio forviard end of the fish hold hatch, between it and the 

 vjinoh. This arrangeiaent has three main advantacos: the crcvj does not 

 have to handle the cables other than to guide them up the yoke into the 

 Giotj the cables are led through a strong and permanent frameworkj and 

 the towing point is moved foxnjard, making the vessel more mancuverablo. 

 To release the cables the locking finger is roleased, and the cables 

 are lifted out of the slot by a member of the crev/. This is an adap- 

 tation of a method used in other fisheries and has been adopted by 

 several Texas operators. 



Equipment Requirements for Deep Water Shrimp Fishing 



Springer (1955) suggests that a number of gear modifications 

 are required to convert a regular shrimp vessel for the deep >jater shrimp 

 fisnery. A long torque spool able to take 800 fathoms of half- inch pre- 

 formed cable must replace the regular winch drum. The usual two cables 

 to the net are unnecessary, as a bridle not less than 25 fathoms in 

 length may be substituted. The two sides of the bridle must be of iden- 

 tical length, quality, age and make because of the possibility of dif- 

 ferential stretching. 



The vessel requires a depth recorder with a range of 300 fath- 

 oms or greater. At these depths the captain will not be able to orientate 

 his movements by the type of bottom, and accurate navigational equipment 

 such as loran should be installed. Large anchors with adequate cable 

 ana a winch should be aboard. The use of echo-ranging devices would 

 assist by scanning the bottom ahead of the trawl for obstacles likely 

 to tear the net. 



Coi'relation of bottom temperatures and highest shrimp catches 

 have shown that a reversing thermometer would be required to attain the 

 greatest measuve of efficien.^y in slirlraping. A small povjer-driven winch 

 would be needed for operating thi^ equipment. 9/ 



Engines 



The expansion of the present day stu-imp finhei'j is undoubtedly 

 due, in large measure, to the acceptance and use of diesel motor power. 



In a sample of vessels studied by the First Research Corpora- 

 tion of Florida, all but the motor boats fishing the inland waters ware 

 equipped with diesels ranging in power from Qk to 230 horse power. Ail 

 of the vessels in tne sample wore equipped with reduction gears. The 

 main engines, in most instances, were equipped with power take-offs to 

 run tne uinch through a system of chains, shafts, and sprockets. 



A tvjin-screw vessel wliich was included in tne sample was slower, 

 less maneuverable, and not as efficient as the other vessels in towing. 



9/ Sec Dullls, H. R., Preliminary Results of Deep-Uater lilxpl orations 

 for Shrimp in the Gulf oT Mexico by the M/V Oregon (1950-56), 

 Commercial Fisheries Review, December 1956, 



9h 



