APPENDIX III APPENDIX III 
Annual Production by the Industrial Bottomfish Fishery 
Northern Gulf of Mexico 
1971-75 
Thousands 
Wear Dollars of tons 
tS 7a Ile / 45.4 
1S) 7) 72 15 77 ADS 
1973 2) 50.8 
1974 Deol 5226 
OW Del 5. 6 
The volume of fish discards--2 billion pounds--is 
only a crude estimate, because no one keeps a detailed 
record of discards. There is no established market value 
for discards. Based on the industrial groundfish ex-vessel 
price--about 2.6 cents a pound--the potential price range for 
discards is narrow. 
Industrial groundfish, most of which are croaker, are 
used principally for pet food and to a lesser extent for 
bait, animal food, and fish meal. The pet-food market has 
shown gradual growth over the last 10 years to a peak in 
1973. A slight decline in pet-food volume occurred in 
1974 due to increasing use of animal byproducts to produce 
"gourmet packs" and a decreased market for canned cat food. 
Using industrial groundfish for fishmeal by a plant in Lou- 
isiana, converted from menhaden, has offset the decline in 
pet-food sales. 
Croaker was very popular as a foodfish along the 
southeast Atlantic coast about 25 years ago and was caught 
in abundance. The catch peaked at 60 million pounds in 
1945 but declined precipitously in succeeding years partly 
due to overfishing but mainly to several abrupt climatic 
changes that either killed the croaker or drove them out of | 
their traditional area of abundance. In 1967 large croaker 
suddenly appeared in considerably large quantities, and a 
fishery was established in the gulf with ready markets along 
the Chesapeake Bay. 
Fishing fleets 
Presently 21 vessels operate fulltime in the industrial 
bettomfish fishery. These vessels range in length from 60 
to 90 feet, with carrying capacities from 63 to 125 tons. 
275 
