other things being equal, highest productivity over a period 

 of time is obtained through owner -operation of vessels. The owner- 

 operator has to produce to survive. The greater effort expended in 

 fisning by the owner-operator is demonstrated in comparisons made by 

 Earvell, Knowles and Associates between the productivity of vessels 

 captained by their owners and vessels skippered by hired captains. 



It was found that owner-operated vessels generally fished 

 more days per year and had bigger catches per day than other vessels 

 fishing tne same waters but skippered by hired captains. 



Two owner-operated vessels fishing out of Thunderbolt, Georgia 

 fished on IbO and 1^2 days in 195U and caught 37,l47U and 33,127 pounds, 

 respectively. Their catches per day were 208 and 2l8 pounds of shrimp, 

 respectively. Corresponding statistics for 3 vessels operating with 

 hired crews out of the same port were: 152, 108, and 136 fishing days, 

 total catcnes of 23,110, 21,375, and 2U,665 pounds, and average daily 

 catches of 152, 198, and l8l pounds. Similar differences between 

 owner- and crew-operated vessels existed for vessels fishing out of 

 Key V/est, Florida and Brownsville, Texas. 



The fact that neither captain nor crew have any financial 

 interest in the vessel has serious consequences at times. Personnel 

 Changes constantly. The crew usually has no pride in the vessel and 

 will try to escape any maintenance work. It lacks loyalty to either 

 vessel or owner. Little interest is shown in seamanship or vessel 

 operation. The owner, or operator, has little regard for the crew. 

 He is indifferent about the maintenance of safe working conditions. 

 He is little interested in the safe operation of the vessel itself. 

 His sole interest is in operating on the lowest cost level pos- 

 siDie. In such circumstances, the shrimp fishery has little appeal 

 for personnel with high standards. 



On the basis of observations made in the course of their 

 survey of work practices on a sample of shrimp fishing vessels First 

 Research Corporation commented on relations between vessel owners and 

 operators , 



Conflicts between employer and employees are common in any 

 industry, and the aL.imp fishery is no exception. At present, vessels 

 in some instances ar-- Ovjio-d and operated by people who are not familar 

 with boats or the sea, and are, to a large measure, ignorant of the 

 mechanics of the fishing procedure itself. Few of these people have 

 ever made a trip on a fishing vessel and, £.3 a rule, regard the vessel 

 and its crew only as a profit-making combination, TLj vnsaal is re- 

 garded as a short-tenn investment in contrast to coi.viitions found in 

 other fisheries. In order to minimize expenses, inaintenance is ne- 

 glected, repairs — -some necessary to the Scifety of the vessel — are 

 delayed and the purchase of new gear to replace that worn out in 

 service is deferred. On the other hand, taking advantage of the 



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