APPENDIX IIT APPENDIX iif 
CROAKER 
The industrial groundfish and foodfish fisheries for 
Atlantic croaker in the northern Gulf of Mexico are rela- 
tively recent fisheries which began in 1952 and 1967, 
respectively. The fishing grounds that support the trawl 
fisheries for croaker are along the coast from Galveston, 
Texas, to Pensacola, Florida, and extend seaward from 
shore to a water depth of about 50 fathoms. Although both 
fisheries exploit the same stocks, basic differences exist. 
The industrial groundfish are used principally for pet 
food and to a lesser extent for bait and fishmeal, whereas 
the foodfish requires croaker for fresh-fish markets. Fish- 
ing vessels, gear, and tactics are similar but not identical 
among the fisheries. 
Although croaker is considered a major fishery for the 
Gulf States, it is also considered an underused fish because 
large quantities are harvested (along with other finfish) 
incidentally as a bycatch during shrimp trawling and is re- 
turned to the sea (discarded), mostly dead. These bycatches 
are estimated to be as high as 18 to 20 pounds for every 
pound of shrimp caught, or about 2 billion pounds annually, 
of which the croaker is the major species. 
STATUS OF FISHERY 
Current harvest 
The industrial groundfish catch in 1975 was 103.2 
million pounds, valued at $2.7 million ex-vessel and $25 
million processed. The croaker foodfish catch in 1975 was 
9 million pounds, valued at 1.2 million dollars. 
The following two tables show the trends in landings 
and value for the fisheries. 
Landings and Value of the Edible Croaker Fishery 
1971-75 
Year Pounds Dollars 
(Millions) (Millions) 
LO 7a 8.4 Low 
1972 Oma Selle 
1973 hs 2 Ita 
1974 NO=6 Ih 3 
1975 9.0 is 2 
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