SOUTH ATLANTIC FISHERIES 



Hard blue crabs . The 42 .7-mllllon-pound landings were 3 percent more than In 1959 and the best 

 production since 1965. Fishermen in both North and South Carolina made unusually good catches 

 during the first quarter of the year, but, as the season progressed, catches declined below the 

 comparable periods of 1969. North Carolina landings of 20.9 million pounds and South Carolina 

 landings of 7.0 million were both 1.3 million pounds less than in the previous year. Offsetting 

 this decline, Georgia landings of 7 . 1 million pounds increased 38 percent and Florida, East Coast 

 landings (7.8 million) increased 36 percent compared with 1969. In Georgia, officials closed St. 

 Simons Sound to fishing because mercury contamination was discovered there. A considerable 

 number of crab fishermen were affected adversely by the closure. 



Shrimp . Landlngsof 20 .6 million pounds (heads -on) worth $1 1 .4 milllondeclined 6 .7 million pounds 

 (25 percent) and $4.8 million (30 percent) compared with 1969. Exvessel prices were generally 

 lower than in the previous year. The average price per pound was 55 cents — 4 cents less than in 

 1969. Jumbo and large shrimp (under 15 to 30 tails per pound) were 46 percent of the total land- 

 ings — compared with 31 percent in 1969. The decline in the average exvessel price paid for each 

 size ranged from 7 to 14 cents per pound compared with 1969. 



North Carolina landings of 5.1 million pounds were 2.8 million less than the exceptionally 

 good production of the previous year. Landings of brown shrimp declined 35 percent and pink 

 shrimp, 50 percent compared with 1969. White shrimp landings, however, were 36 percent great- 

 er than in 1969 and the best production since 1966. In September, white shrimp appeared in the 

 waters of Pamlico Sound for the first time since 1953. 



Compared with 1969, South Carolina landings of 5 million pounds declined 15 percent and 

 Georgia landings of 6 million declined 29 percent. The fall white shrimp season was poor, and 

 production was down 33 percent in South Carolina and 34 percent in Georgia. Brown shrimp land- 

 ings, however, increased 52 percent in South Carolina and 13 percent in Georgia — probably because 

 of a good spring and summer run in both States. Florida, East Coast landings (4.6 million pounds) 

 were 11 percent less than in 1969. As in South Carolina and Georgia, a poor white shrimp season 

 in the fall was a major factor in the decline. In North Carolina, the average price per pound de- 

 clined sharply from 57 cents in 1969 to 49 cents in 1970. In both South Carolina and Georgia, 

 fishermen received an average price of 59 cents per pound in 1969; but in 1970 the average price 

 in South Carolina was 58 cents per pound and in Georgia, 55 cents. In Florida, East Coast, the 

 average price per pound was 57 cents — 7 cents less than in 1969. 



Spiny lobsters . Landings of 3.1 million pounds were 760,000 pounds (20 percent) less than the 

 record production of 1969. In that year, United States fishermen made catches in waters off the 

 Bahama Islands that contributed substantially to the record landings. In 1970, however, the Ba- 

 hamian Government had established a 12-mile territorial sea limit before the fishing season began. 

 The restriction kept some U.S. fishermen from their accustomed fishing areas and accordingly cur- 

 tailed production. In addition, the State of Georgia, acting to assist Florida in the management of 

 its spiny lobster fishery, prohibited lobster landings in Georgia from April 1 to August 31. Florida 

 legislation already prohibited landings, regardless of origin of the catches, during the closed sea- 

 son. 



With landings prohibited in both Georgia and Florida ports during the closed season, a few 

 vessels made small landings of spiny lobsters at South Carolina ports . In 197 0, fishermen received 

 an average price of 61 cents per pound--compared with 69 cents in 1959. 



Calico scallops . Landings of 1.8 million pounds of meats worth $7 29,000 increased 1.6 million 

 pounds and $556,000 compared with 1969 . North Carolina accounted for 85 percent of the landings. 

 It was the first time in 2 years that fishermen had been able to locate calico scallops insufficient 

 quantities in North Carolina waters to provide good fishing. Catches were consistently good 

 throughout the year. Landings might have increased if enough workers (principally shuckers) had 

 been available in the processing plants to handle the greater volume. The two new vessels that 

 were completely mechanized for processing their catches of calico scallops at sea fished off both 

 North Carolina and Florida. 



