APPENDIX IIT APPENDIX III 
UNDERUTILIZED FISH RESOURCES 
In addition to the utilized fish species supporting 
major fisheries, many other species are located in the 
U.S. coastal waters that are not used commercially or are 
currently only partially used. 
Following are examples of selected underutilized 
species pointing out problems not only applicable to these 
species but also applicable to some extent to all under- 
utilized species. 
MULLET 
Mullet are found worldwide in tropical and subtropical 
waters. In the Americas mullet are found from Maine to 
Brazil in the Atlantic and from Monterey, California, to 
Chile in the Pacific. The largest quantity, however, exists 
in North Carolina to Texas waters, with the primary fish- 
ery found along the gulf coast of Florida. Mullet are 
considered an underused species because the catch is far 
below the estimated potential yield. 
STATUS OF FISHERY 
Current harvest 
The Florida mullet landings in 1972 account for about 
89 percent by volume and 91 percent by value of the total 
U.S. landings of mullet. The following table shows Gulf 
States black mullet landings for 1972 by State. 
State Volume Value 
(pounds) 
Texas 90,700 $ 4,495 
Louisiana 15,700 821 
Mississippi 221,000 WPF BSS) 
Alabama as S010 88,689 
Florida 28,853,900 2G 7307 
Total Gulf States 30,694,600 $2,662,867 
Although mullet are the primary species for several 
fleets in Florida, the fishery is declining. During the 
late 1950s and early 1960s annual mullet landings consis- 
tently exceeded 33 million pounds. This production figure 
has dropped below 30 million pounds, with production in 
1974 listed at> 29.1) million pounds. 
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