APPENDIX III APPENDIX III 
Annual and monthly mullet prices are quite responsive, 
to the amount of mullet landed. Since the 1950s the dock- 
side price of mullet has consistently been less than 10 cents 
a pound, even with continuing inflation and a secular in- 
crease in the prices of other seafood products. 
Products and markets 
Mullet are currently processed and marketed in four 
basic product forms. Mullet frozen in the round, that is 
without heading or gutting, account for an estimated 63 
percent of the mullet landed. About 25 percent of the 
mullet landed is sold fresh throughout the year based on 
availability. Smoked mullet, making up about 6 percent of 
the landings, is a very popular item in Florida. Mullet 
roe has recently become important in the export market, which 
makes up about 6 percent of the landings. The principal 
market for roe is in Japan where it is processed into a 
dried and cured product called karasumi. Mullet are market- 
ed in the southern part of the United States (65 percent) 
and in the major northeastern cities (35 percent). 
Palshang: Eleecs: 
In the Gulf States, there~are no major fishing fleets 
exclusively for harvesting mullet. Mullet are harvested 
by several different fleets using a variety of gear which 
catch numerous species. Most of the catch is made by 
gillnet. 
Employment 
In the Gulf States, few fishermen are dedicated ex- 
clusively to catching mullet. Fishermen harvesting mullet 
also harvest a variety of other finfish species at certain 
times of the year, and most of them are individually inde- 
pendent. 
Recreational fishing 
Mullet are not in great demand as a sports fish. How- 
ever, Silver mullet are valued as a sport-fishing bait and 
are also considered an important food source for big game 
fish. 
Management controls 
At the present time there is no overall management 
scheme for mullet in the Gulf of Mexico. Total effort and 
harvest are not restricted. None of the Gulf States, ex- 
cept Florida, have any laws or regulations regarding mullet. 
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