for unloading, washing, grading, heading, and readying the shrimp for 

 the freezer. In Alaharaa a charge of k-ljZ cents covered washing and 

 packing costs. In Florida ports, according to the same source, the 

 charges were 3 cents plus 1/2 cent extra for hoats that landed catches 

 of other 'boats. . On the total fee the shrimp plant reportedly realized 

 a net profit averaging one cent. In Texas, shrimp plant charges tended 

 to grow smaller from north to south, 



t 



Processing charges which included costs of unloading, washing, 

 grading, and packing for removal hy tnicks, averaged three cents per 

 pound exce-nt in the Brovvnisville-Port Isahel area where they were onlv 

 tvo cents. This difference was accounted ror by the fact that in Browios- 

 ville-Port Isabel the shrimp -worfe iced loose in the removing trucks 

 whereas elsewhere the shrimp were packed, as a rule, in 100-pound boxes. 

 An additional charge of one cent per pound was charged by shrimp plants 

 for trucking to the processing plants. Ordinarily such costs are assxaned 

 by the buyer rather than the boat o>mer. In Brovmsville, Texas, the boat 

 ovmer has to pay a fee of &.00 per day for dock space to the Brownsville 

 Navigation District. (In addition, the raw shrimp plant is charged ^^.00 

 per foot par month for Traterfront privileges, one percent of catch value 

 per ton \anloaded, and has to pay a fee for fuel and ice loaded over 

 Brownsville docks). The i^arvdces made available to the fisherman at the 

 Brovjnsville facilities were described in Chapter II, page lOii. 



The foregoing may explain the wide variations in unloading 

 and packing costs collected by the Federal Trade Commission accountants. 

 Baponding on the type of sei'vices perf oiined by the raw shrimp plant and 

 tha quantity of shrimp handled, the total costs incurred by boat owners 

 in 195ij in connection with the packing and unloading of catch ranged 

 fi-oiu comparatively modest amounts to close to $3>500 per boat. 



Boat Expense 



The principal items of boat expanse are repairs and mainte- 

 nance, boat supplies, fishing gear, depreciation, interest and insurance. 

 Tho classification of soius of these itci.uj among fixed costs is somewhat 

 arbitraiy. The siao of iri:iintenanc<i and repair costs is connocted with 

 the operation of the vessels. A boat will \indoubtedly undergo more wear 

 and tear xihen it is in operation than whan it is tied up at the dock, 

 making at loast a portion of the total amount charged to this e:q)Gnse 

 catogory variable. On tho other hand, certain maintenance expenses viill 

 exist, regardless of whether the boat is actually shrimping or not, 

 Propar maintenance requires that the boat be periodically diy-docked 

 and its bottom scraped and paintedj the interval between such mainte- 

 nance operations does not vary accoi^ing to the vise to v?hich the boat is 

 put. 



215 



