Cost of operations . — Because of the substantial differences 

 from establishment to establishment in size of plant, scale of operations, 

 and functions performed, it is difficult to gather any representative cost 

 data for fresh shrimp plants. 



The Bureau of Business and Economic Research of the University 

 of Miami reports that on a fee of four cents per pound commonly charged 

 to Florida boat operators for handling (this fee includes a one-half cent 

 charge made to boats landing catches of other boats in addition to their 

 own) the shrimp plant averages a net profit of one cent. Labor costs, 

 the principal element of expense, in these plants are held down by keep- 

 ing the permanent staff at a minimum, Whenever additional help is re- 

 quired, production workers are hired on a temporary basis. The workers 

 employed in these establishments are not unionized and wages eire usually 

 pegged to the legally fixed minimum. In those shrimp plants where head- 

 ing is included among the functions performed, larger staffs are needed 

 to operate the heading tables. Heading labor is paid on a piece-work 

 basis. The prevailing rate at the time the field survey was made (May 

 1955) was fifty cents per 12-quart bucket, A good header reportedly 

 could produce in the neighborhood of thirty buckets of headed shrirrip per 

 day. Work was not steady since employment depended upon shrimp runs. 



Since the income of independent fresh- shrimp-plant operators 

 depends primarily on the quantity of shrimp handled, chsirges being made 

 on a fee basis, there is considerable competition among them for vessel 

 patronage. The inducements offered to the vessel operators are generally 

 not financial in character since the fees exacted are uniform at least 

 within the port area, and sometimes even within the entire state. Com- 

 petition takes the form of special services that are offered to the 

 fishermen. In certain establishments shower facilities are made avail- 

 able to the incoming fishermen. Elsewhere cold beer may be offered or 

 boolckeeping sejrvlces and assistance in the preparation of tax returns 

 may be provided gratis. Some shrimp plants have facilities for boat 

 and net maintenance, though usually only on a very limited scale. These 

 facilities serve only the needs of boats owned by the establishment, 

 though in some instances they may be made available to patrons on a fee 

 basis. 



Frozen Headless Shrimp 



The introduction of economically feasible freezing methods 

 caused a major revolution In the industry. Refrigeration opened new 

 markets for shrimp since many new customers in inland areas where shrimp 

 was virtually unknown could be reached. Actually, the shrimp industry 

 was somewhat slow in adopting the new processing method. 



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