STATISTICS ON SHRIMP PRODUCTION FOR THE LAST QUARTCR 

 CENTURY REVEAL THAT THE STATES OF TEXAS AND LOUISIANA HAVE BEEN THE 

 LEADING PRODUCERS. THE RATE OF EXPANSION OF THE SHRIMP FISHERY IN 

 TEXAS HAS BEEN GREATER IN RECENT YEARS THAN IN LOUISIANA. OTHER 

 TRENDS INDICATE THAT THE SHRIMP TRAWL VIRTUALLY HAS DISPLACED ALL 

 OTHER TYPES OF GEAR IN THE SOUTHERN FISHERY. CATCH PER NET TON OF 

 FISHING CAPACITY HAS DECREASED FROM APPROXIMATELY 6-1/2 TONS OF 

 SHRIMP IN 1930 TO ABOUT 2 TONS IN RECENT YEARS. VALUE OF CATCH PER 

 NET TON OF FISHING CAPACITY SHOWED A STEEP RISE OVER THE PERIOD. 

 CATCH PER FISHERMAN AVERAGED ABOUT 17,000 POUNDS OF SHRIMP IN BOTH 

 1930 AND 1954. VALUE OF CATCH PER FISHERMAN ROSE FROM $612 IN 1930 

 TO $5,215 IN 1953, BUT DIPPED TO $4,367 IN 1956. 



:[NTRODUGTORY COMEFTS 



i\n analysis of fishing operations logically follovis a study of 

 the factors of production in the shrimp industry. A considerable amount 

 of research was done on this subject by organizations under contract to 

 the United States Fish and VJildliie Servit;e, viz. Harvrell, iinowles and 

 Associates, Kirst 'iesearch Corporation of Florida, the Bureau of Busi- 

 ness and Economic Research of the University of Miami, and the I'ederal 

 Trade Goimnission. The individual organi;3ations were responsible for 

 different portions of this work and no one contract covered the entire 

 ranjc of topics. 



At the outset of this chapter, an analysis of vessel time vjas 

 made to jyive some idea of the relationship between productive and 

 unproductive time. Next, standard pi-ocedures for preparing for sea, 

 operations at sea, and mooring and unloading of vessels are described. 

 In conjunction vjith this phase of the v/ork, time values for the detailed 

 operations connected xjith fishing were obtained from a sample of vessels 

 and motor boats. Following next is a study of vessel productivity with 

 emphasis on the effects of various technological and biological factors 

 on vessel catch. 



This study leads into a discussion of costs of operations. 

 Information for the latter purpose v;as obtained on the principal ele- 

 ments of expense incurred in the fishing segment of the industry. In 

 addition, regional comparisons of costs for a sample of vessels and 

 motor boats for the years 1952-195^ were made from the books of vessel 

 operators on the basis of operating statements supplied by them. 



130 



