942 U. S. BUKEAU OF FISHERIES 



ALABAMA 



The fisheries of Alabama in 1928 employed 5 per cent of the total 

 number of fishermen and accounted for 8 per cent of the total catch 

 of the Gulf section. The fisheries and industries related to the 

 fisheries employed 1,224 persons, which is 9 per cent greater than the 

 number in 1927. Of the total, 858 were fishermen, 6 were employed 

 on transporting vessels, 143 in the wholesale trade, and 217 in the 

 prepared-products and by-products industries. 



The total catch amounted to 14,466,480 pounds, valued at $586,795. 

 This is an increase of 44 per cent in the catch and 34 per cent in the 

 value of the catch, compared with the catch and its value for 1927. 

 Of the total value of the catch, that for shrimp accounted for 31 per 

 cent; oysters, 26 per cent; red snapper, 20 per cent; and mullet, 14 

 per cent. Of the total production, that of shrimp accounted for 

 41 per cent; oysters, 29 per cent; mullet, 15 per cent; and red snapper, 

 9 per cent. 



OPERATING UNITS BY GEAR 



The catch of fishery products along the coast of Alabama during 

 1928 was taken by 858 fishermen who used 44 motor vessels, 531 

 motor and other boats, and 8 major types of gear. The vessels had 

 a combined capacity of 487 net tons. The fisheries accounting for 

 the greatest number of persons were the otter-trawl fishery, em- 

 ploying 360 fishermen, and the tong fishery, employing 247 fishermen. 



CATCH BY GEAR 



Four types of gear caught 93 per cent of the fish taken in the 

 marine waters of Alabama during 1928. Listed in order of their 

 importance they were otter trawls, which accounted for 41 per cent 

 of the catch; tongs, 29 per cent; lines, 12 per cent; and trammel 

 nets, 11 per cent. 



The catch by otter trawl consisted almost entirely of shrimp; 

 that by tongs almost entirely oysters; that by lines principally red 

 snappers; and that by trammel nets chiefly mullet. 



OPERATING UNITS BY COUNTIES 



The fisheries of Alabama are confined to Baldwin and Mobile 

 Counties. Mobile County accounted for 85 per cent of the number 

 of persons fishing, 82 per cent of the fishing vessels, and 81 per cent 

 of the small motor and other types of fishing boats. 



CATCH BY COUNTIES 



Of the two counties in Alabama in which marine fisheries were 

 prosecuted, Mobile County was by far the most important, ac- 

 counting for 8a per cent of the total catch and 86 per cent of the 

 value of the catch. Baldwin County accounted for the remaining 

 11 per cent of the catch and 14 per cent of the value of the catch. ' 



