]^Q2 1^^- S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



that are oftentimes Avasted. In the shrinii) industry the utilization 

 is (loublv important because of the rehitively hirge percentajje of 

 Avaste present, the health hazards caused by careless disposal, and the 

 valuabU' i)roducts that can be ])repared from the Avaste. 



At the time of this investi<ration it ai)pears that only approximately 

 25 per cent of tlie Avaste of the shrimp industry is recovered as shrimp 

 meal, the remainder bein<2: thrown aAvay since there is a lack of a 

 sim])le recovery process which can be profitably adopted at isolated 

 l)lants and under the condition of Avidely fluctuatint; receipts of 

 stock. The primary object of this investio^ation is the development 

 of one or more processes to utilize the present waste. 



The utilization of shrimp waste has been attempted heretofore 

 in one plant at Brunswick, (la., for the puri)ose of preparing a 

 fertilizer compcment. This practice was given up because of the 

 engineering diffictilties encountered at tliis plant during the reduc- 

 tion of the w\astes to the form of a fertilizer component. The diffi- 

 culties Avere due mainly to the necessity of handling the fluctuating 

 supply of shriniji wasie promptly and to the difficulty in drying 

 waste', since the latter often " gunmied up " the rotary drivers and 

 stopped operations. If excessive heat Avas used to reduce this hazard, 

 the Avaste became partially calcined and carbonized Avith the loss of 

 nitrogen in the final product and gave off very offensive odors. 



From statistics collected by the Tnited States Bui-eau of Fisheries 

 for the vear 1927, the entire catch of shrimi) over the territory 

 extending from the northern boundary of North Carolina to the 

 Avestern boundary of Texas amounted to about 100,000,000 pounds. 



THE SHKIMP FISHERY 3 



Three marine species of shrimj) are taken for conunercial purposes. 

 Of these the most important and abundant form is Pe/ieaus seti^ems, 

 Avhich occurs throughout the range of the fishery from Beaufort, 

 N. C, to Corpus Christi, Tex. The closely related species P. hrasUi- 

 ensis is much less abundant and may be distinguished from the other 

 by the characteristic groove along each side of the rostrum which 

 extends nearly to the posterior margin of the carapace, Avhile in 

 P. setlferHK this groove extends less than halfAvay back. As the 

 fishermen do not recognize these differences, an estimate of P. hiuw^Ui- 

 eiiHis is difficult. Large specimens of both species {P. setlferuH and 

 P. bra.nlie?isis) are knoAvn on the markets as "prawns," or 

 " spraAvns," and the half-groAvn individuals are known as " shrimp." 

 The third species, Xiphopc/ieus kroyerK commonly knoAvn to the 

 fishermen as the "sea-bobs" or "seven-beards," is considerably 

 smaller and differs in color and general appearance: it has a rostrum 

 as long as, or longer than, the carapace instead of shorter as m 

 the species of Peneavf<. It is taken conuiiercially only on the Louisi- 

 ana coast. Avhere it is used for drying Avhen the larger species are 

 unobtainable. . j 



The irregularity of the movements of the shrimi) makes it difticult \ 

 to define the seasons of abundance in the vai-ious Avaters. In general, jj 



^ — :!' 



''Material in this sot-tion is laim-ly drawn fioi.i the Report of tlie Commissioner of* 

 Kigheries for l!tl7, jip. 7-8. ; 



