APPENDIX IV APPENDIX IV 
Sector Harvest Dollar value 
(percent) (percent) 
Cooperatives 34 66 
Private business 66 34 
Government (a) (a) 
Total 100 100 
@tess than 1 percent. 
than shrimp and tuna earn little more than subsistence in- 
comes. Earnings of shrimp and tuna fishermen are based on 
harvest size and the earnings are high in comparison to 
those of the average Mexican worker. For example, a crew- 
man on a tuna boat landing a reasonably good harvest of 
600 tons atter “a 60—"“to 90-day, fr1shung Erp, earns, about 
$4,000. A tuna boat captain earns about $18,500 annually. 
MAJOR FISHING GROUNDS 
Nearly all fishing operations are conducted in Mexico's 
coastal waters. The Pacific Ocean provides 70 percent of 
Mexico's harvest and the Gulf of Mexico provides the remain- 
ing 30 percent. With increased government emphasis on 
developing the fishing industry, there have been efforts 
to identify and develop new fishing grounds. The best 
prospects are in the Pacific Ocean off Mexico's northwest 
coast and in the coastal waters of Baja, California. The 
Food and Agricultural Organization estimates that these 
areas contain thousands of tons of anchovies, sardines, 
mackerel, squid, Sauries, oceanic red crabs, and rock lob- 
sters. In addition, numerous lagoons and estuaries, on 
both of Mexico's coasts, can be developed for fish cultiva- 
Eaonr 
SIZE AND COMPOSITION OF THE HARVEST 
Mexico produced less than 1 percent of the world's fish 
harvest in 1973; however, in the past several years the 
harvest has grown considerably in quantity and value. Mex- 
ico's 1973 harvest consisted of about 979 million pounds 
of fish and shellfish valued at approximately $142 million. 
Between 1969 and 1973, herring, oysters, redfish, 
shrimp, and tuna were the principal species harvested in 
terms of value and quantity. The following table shows 
the quantity harvested in 1973. 
Bi2y 
