APPENDIX III APPENDIX III 
--1959-60 - Resulted from increased landings augmented 
by the largest annual increment in imports 
during the period. 
--1963 and 1967 - Resulted from rapidly expanding 
imports coinciding with high domestic land- 
ings, which caused supplies to exceed de- 
mands weakened by the business recession. 
The substantial wholesale and retail price increases 
in 1973, was due, principally, to a reduced annual crop-- 
the result of adverse environmental conditions--and increased 
fuel costs. 
The peak of an upward Gulf and South Atlantic demand 
trend was reached in fall of 1973 during the time of the 
meat boycott. Consumer demand shifted from meat to other 
options and shrimp prices increased even faster. But 
problems developed in 1974 and early 1975 in shrimp market- 
IT). 
The gains in 1972 and 1973 particularly brightened the 
market outlook and suppliers anticipated further increases. 
The increase in per capita supplies of shrimp in 1972 was 
double the increase in consumption, resulting in enormous 
inventory buildups. The carryover into 1973 was a record 
inventory of 93 million pounds of shrimp. 
The large carryover helped sustain consumption during 
a period when both domestic landings and imports were in 
short supply. Toward the end of 1973, however, landings 
and imports improved at a time when demand weakened notably. 
(Imports reached a record 229 million pounds in 1974.) The 
severity of the shrimp market led to NMFS establishing an 
Emergency Marketing Program (EMP) in November 1974. Al- 
though the ex-vessel price rebounded in 1975 to record 
levels, EMP was active through June 1976. in fact, ene 
1975 recovery had been even more dramatic than the decline. 
In 1975 domestic shrimp product exports accounted for 
about 24 percent of the total value of edible domestic 
seafood products exported by the United States. In recent 
years over half of the northern shrimp landings have been 
exported. Domestic shrimp products worth about $64.3 mil- 
lion (34.3 million pounds) were exported in 1975. 
Fishing Fleet 
The primary gear in use off the Atlantic, Gulf, and 
Pacific coasts is the shrimp otter trawl. Beam trawls, 
pots, butterfly nets, and traps are also used, but they 
account for only a small portion of the catch. 
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