E:q)ressed as a pei-cent of the total catch of all fish and 

 shellfish, the shrimp fishery's share rose from 2.8 percent in 1930 

 to 5.8 percent in 1953. In terms of the total -alue of all fish and 

 shellfish the shrimp catch with a value of v3-l million represented 

 only 2.9 percent in 1930> a^s against 19.2 percent in 195*^^ when 

 fishermen received .t'70.9 million for their catch of shrimp. 



!7hen compared to individual species of fish and shellfish, 

 shriinp ranl^ed fourth in size of catch during 1953^ 195^ and 1955^ 

 and fifth in 195*5 as against ninth in 1930. In tez-ras of dollars, 

 the shrimp catch is more valuable today than the catch of any other 

 species of fish and shellfish, whereas in 1930 there were nine other 

 species which bi'ought the fisherman moi'e money than shrimp. (see 

 figure III - 36) 



Quantity and Value of Catch Per Shrimp Trawl 

 in the South Atlantic and Gulf Area 



Despite the fact that the total catch by shrimp trawls more 

 than doubled over the period from 1930 to 1956, the catch per slirimp 

 trawl today is virtually the same that it was at the beginning of the 

 period. Value of the catch per shrimp trawl, on the other hand, has 

 increased substantially, from about .^1,200 in I93O to $9,300 in I956. 

 In 1953 the value of catch per trawl reached a record of almost 

 $11,500. (see figure III - 37) 



Tons Caught P er Net Ton of Fishing Capacity 

 in the South Atlantic and Gulf Area 



By relating catch to fishing capacity statistics, an index of 

 fleet productivity per net ton capacity can be constructed. This index 

 can be interpreted as measuring the average productivity of a net ton 

 of fishing capacity in different years. In 1930 according to the data 

 depicted in figure III - 38, 6-1/2 tons of slirimp (heads-on basis) 

 were taken for every ton of fishing capacity available. Since fishing 

 capacity has expanded at a faster rate than catch this ratio by 1956 

 had decreased to 1.3 tons of shrimp for every ton of shrimping craft. 



Value of catch per net ton of fishing capacity increased from 

 $l4U6 in 1930 to a hi^ of $l,3kh in 1953 but took a sharp dip in the 

 followiner years, (see table III - 16) 



Quantity and Value of Catch Per Fisherman in the South 

 Atlantic and Gulf Area Compared to Other Fisheries 



The productivity oP the average shrimp fisherman fluctuated 

 over the period for which data were computed, ranging from a high of 

 about 22,000 pounds per fisherman in 19l)0 to a low of 12,000 poiinds per 

 fisherman in 1950, In recent years, the average catch per fishei-man was 

 about what it had been in 19J0, viz. in excess of 17,000 pounds. Com- 

 pared vjith the shrimp fishery the catch per fisherman in the fisheries 



168 



