In the opinion of experts^ careful consideration should be 

 given to the lony run benefit accruing to the industry from the develop- 

 ment of a dual-purpo.se vessel capable of being used in other fisheries, as 

 well as shrimping^ without changing crew requirements. The possibilities 

 of employment of vessels in alternate uses uere ex]3lored. 



The economics of a mixed shrimp-red snapper operation based at 

 Pensacola, Florida, surveyed by Harwell, Knowles and Associates were de- 

 scribed as follo^rs: 



The vessel is a 7!? foot Florida-type shrimp travjler 

 equipped with mechanical reels and is currently fisMng the 

 Campeche banks for shrimp or red snapper. There are eight 

 mechanical reels and wire lines aboard and room for a crew 

 of eight v/hile red snapper fishing and three while shrimp- 

 ing. Conversion from one operation to the other requires 

 but a single day in port. The vessel fishes the Campeche 

 snapper banks exclusively and the two trips for which data 

 were obtained yielded 1^,007 and 19,2^0 pounds of red 

 snapper, respectively, together with several thousand pounds 

 of less valuable grouper. These catches were valued at 

 $3,7^0 and !i;U,8l2, respectively (2^^ per pound for snapper) 

 representing a gross return of ^,^62 for the period of the 

 two trips which were of 18 and l6 days duration, respectively. 

 This period was equivalent to one Campeche shrimp trip, 

 allowing 3$ nights' fishing. The average catch of shrimp per 

 night on the Campeche grounds during such a period was es- 

 timated (from catches of U Tampa vessels of similar size) at 

 200 pounds per night or 7>0t)0 pounds of headless shrimp for 

 the 31? nights. At 62^ per pound (all top grade) only •'i;3,3UO 

 would have been realized from shrimping during this period. 



Diesel fuel for the 2 snapper trips would be "bunt 3,000 

 gallons i^lh^O) compared to 5,000 gallons ($7^0) for a com- 

 parable shrimp trip. The additional fuel for shrimping is 

 used during the 10 to 12 hours dragging per night, while 

 most of the fuel used duiang snapper fishing is the running 

 to and from the grounds. 



Ice expense would also be less for snapper fishing vjith 

 30 tons of block ice (;!180) used during the two trips com- 

 pared to $0 tons of crushed ice (^300) for the one shrimp 

 trip. While the net boat income from the red snapper catch 

 and the ovjners share were higher, on this basis, the eight 

 men individually earned less than three fishermen would have 

 if the vessel had produced shrimp. 



15? 



