406 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



Industries related lo the fisheries of Alabama, 1929 — Continued 

 FISHERMEN'S PREPARED PRODUCTS 



MISSISSIPPI 



The fisheries and industries related to the fisheries of Mississippi in 

 1929 employed 3,854 persons, which ;s 19 per cent more than the num- 

 ber employed during 1928. Of the total number of persons, 2,447 were 

 fishermen, 6 were employed on transporting vessels, 317 in the whole- 

 sale trade, and 1,084 in manufacturing industries. 



The total catch amounted to 34,629,156 pounds, valued at $1,- 

 005,301, which is an increase of 13 per cent in the catch but a decrease 

 of 5 per cent in the value of the catch, as compared with the catch and 

 its value in the previous year. Of the total value of the catch, 

 oysters accounted for 45 per cent and shrimp 42 per cent. Of the 

 total weight of the catch, oysters accounted for 54 per cent; shrimp, 

 13 per cent; and crabs, 4 per cent. 



OPERATING UNITS BY GEAR 



The catch of fishery products in Mississippi during 1929 was taken 

 by 2,447 fishermen, who used 124 motor vessels, 14 sailing vessels, 

 1,184 motor and other small fishing boats, and 9 major types of gear. 

 The vessels had a combined capacity of 1,885 net tons. The fisheries 

 accounting for the greatest number of persons were the otter-trawl 

 fishery employing 975 fishermen, the oyster dredge fishery employing 

 878 fishermen, and the tong fishery employing 513 fishermen. 



CATCH BY GEAR 



Two types of gear caught 86 per cent of the fishery products taken 

 in the marine fisheries of Mississippi during 1929. Listed in order of 

 their importance they were : Dredges, which accounted for 49 per cent 

 of the catch; and otter trawls, which accounted for 37 per cent of the 

 catch. The catch by dredges was entirely oysters and that by otter 

 trawls was principally shrimp. 



OPERATING UNITS BY COUNTIES 



Only three counties in Mississippi are represented in the marine 

 fisheries. Harrison was by far the most important of these, account- 

 ing for 84 per cent of the total number of fishermen, 95 per cent of the 

 total number of vessels, and 78 per cent of the small fishing boats. 

 Jackson County ranked second with 13 per cent of the fishermen, 5 per 

 cent of the vessels, and 19 per cent of the small fishing boats. 



CATCH BY COUNTIES 



Of the three counties represented in the marine fisheries of Missis- 

 sippi, Harrison County accounted for 88 per cent of the total catch 

 and 83 per cent of the total value of the catch. Jackson County 

 ranked second with 10 per cent of the catch and 14 per cent of the 

 value, while Hancock County accounted for 1 per cent of the catch 

 ^nd 3 per cent of the value. 



