APPENDIX III APPENDIX III 
The larger, traditional snapper vessels are based mainly in 
the vicinities of Panama City, Florida; Mobile, Alabama; and 
Pascagoula, Mississippi, and remain at sea for up to 3 weeks. 
These vessels are capable of operating anywhere in the Gulf. 
We were told that the commercial fleet included many 
old shrimp vessels that were not kept in a state of good 
repair. 
The newer vessels added to the fleet in 1965 were 70 
to 80 feet long, equipped with refrigeration, and designed 
for multipurpose fishing. Fishing methods changed with 
vessel improvements. Cotton handlines were replaced by 
stainless steel lines and reels. Experimental otter trawls 
have been modified for snapper fishing and shown to be more 
effective than hook and line, but they have not yet been 
adopted. 
A study in 1973 for NMFS evaluated the fleet as old 
and in need of upgrading. The vessel segment of the fishery 
has been in a generally depressed condition for many years, 
and financial returns have not been great enough to encour- 
age vessel or personnel upgrading. 
The study expresses reservations about the value of 
upgrading vessels, because basic vessel productivity is 
related to the number of reels and lines used and replace- 
ment of vessels cannot greatly improve the economic climate 
for the harvesting sector. 
Employment 
We were told that the average age of the snapper-grouper 
fisherman is 55. Crew incentive is low because of the poor 
state of the vessels, which are often out of service. As 
a result, catch levels are low, shares are low, and crew 
quality is the lowest among the gulf fisheries. 
The numbers of persons in the fishery are not known. 
All craft reported as handliners are not consistently used 
in this fishery. The usual purpose of such diversification 
is to operate profitably throughout the year. For the 
same reason, many of the fishermen are part time and are 
active in other fisheries or occupations. 
Recreation fishing 
Estimates of the recreational catch of snapper and 
grouper are 82.7 million pounds landed in 1970, the year 
of the most recent survey. By species, the recreational 
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