yiofLda, Goori^ia, North Cai-o.Lj.na, and MJ.jjsiEsippi have boon consistently 

 the most productive. Ficure III -3!j ilLustratoG tho trend in the ruc-i-onal 

 distribution of the catch more clearly. The decline in the relative 

 importance oi the south Atlantic area fisheiy as well as the fisheries 

 in tho states outside the South is sho\m by comparison of the shaded bar 

 areas, ^/hile the South Atlantic States accoimtod for 28. U percent of 

 total production in 1930, their share of the total catch in 19^6 had 

 shrunk to ll»h percent. Similarly, the k-h percent share of the total 

 catch in 1930 represented by the spates outside the South had decreased 

 to about tvjo percent by 19'^6. 



The rising significance of the Gulf region must be credited to 

 tho expansion of production by Texas and west coast of i^'lorida opera- 

 tions. As indicated by tho chart, tho west coast of Florida had in- 

 creased its share of the catch from 1.7 percent in 1930 to 2b. U percent 

 xn 193'6, whereas the Texas share of the catch had risen from 11.1 to 33.6 

 percent during the same period. 



A comparison of State catch statistics on a value basis 

 (see table 111-13) shows that the rankings of the individual states are 

 similar to the rankings obtained on a quantity basis, with the exception 

 that states vjhere a larger percentage of higher-count shrimp ax-a talcon 

 tend to rank lo;jer in a value, than in a quantity, comparison. 



Ga tc;i by lypo of Fis hi ng Gear 



Table III-li4 indicates size of the catch by type of gear for 

 specified years from 1930 to 1956. As can be seen from the tabulation, 

 shrimp trawls accounted for all but about five percent of the total 

 catch in 1930. This type of gear has continued to be the most important. 



Land ings Compar ed to Other Varie ties 

 and to To t;!]. Landings of F ish and Shellfish 



In table III-l!? quantity and value of the shrimp catch is 

 compared to the quantity and value of the catch of all fish and shell- 

 fish for specified years from 1930 to 1956. While the total catch of 

 all fish and shellfish in 19:>6 i/as almost 5o percent larger than in 1930, 

 shrimp production increased from 92.3 million pounds to approximately 

 22lt million pounds in 1956, with a record production of about 268 million 

 pounds in 1951-1. 



163 



