fishing rigs has been greater than the resxilts jiistified. 



With the increase in the number of fishermen in the crew and by 

 the use of larger vessels some increase in the catches of shrimp can 

 be made by operation twenty-four hours a day. In most areas, however, 

 shrimp fishing is productive only during the night or during daylight 

 hours, depending on the species of shrimp being taken. Both day and 

 night fishing are only rarely good in the same area at any season. 



DIFFERENCES IN OPERATIONAL COSTS 



The yearly replacement and maintenance cost of gear for a tuna boat 

 would be substantially higher than shrimping gear maintenance and replace- 

 ment. Operating and maintenance costs between tuna and shrimp vessels may 

 be roughly estimated in the ratio of five to one. 



The use of the larger, more modern, live bait tuna fishing vessels 

 as catching boats for shrimp appears entirely impractical because the 

 high operating and maintenance costs are out of line with potential earn- 

 ings. Some of the smaller vessels of the tuna fleet might compete 

 successfully in the shrimp fishery particularly on the more distant 

 grounds. Generally these vessels would require some clearing of the deck 

 stmctures, some new rigging, a winch and some provision for faster 

 freezing of catches of shrimp where ice is not used. 



Competition by boat owners for superior crews is strong in the 

 southeastern states as it is elsewhere. Factors that tend to cut down 

 the value of shares, such as high operating cost, a large crew, fre- 

 quent loss of time through mechanical breakdoim, if not offset by fac- 

 tors favorable to good crew earnings, would present serious difficul- 

 ties to an owner. 



Possibilities of Engaging in the Transport Trade 



The diversion of tuna vessels to the transport trade is economical- 

 ly unsound. The largest tuna clippers having a capacity of 500 tons cost 

 from $500,000 to $600,000 but on the open market a 10,000 ton freighter 

 or a 5000 ton reefer ship can be purchased for $U50,000 or $693,000 respec- 

 tively. The operating costs per day for a 500 ton clipper exclusive of 



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