SECTION 9 - MISSISSIPPI RIVER FISHERIES 



Commercial landings of fish and shellfish from the waters of the Mississippi River and its 

 tributaries were 74.9 million pounds worth $9. 9 million to the fishermen — an increase of 5 . 5 mil- 

 lion pounds and $1.3 millioncompared with 1969. The increase resulted principally from improved 

 landings of buffalofish, 21.3 million pounds (up 28 percent); carp, 18.5 million (up 10 percent); 

 catfish and bullheads, 14.4 million (up 23 percent); and sheepshead, 5.6 million pounds (up 28 

 percent). However, landings of crawfish (1.8 million pounds) and mussel shells (5.8 million 

 pounds) declined compared with 1969. 



Five items — buffalofish, carp, catfish and bullheads, sheepshead, and mussel shells — 

 accounted for 88 percent Df the volume and 85 percent of the value. The landings were made by 

 13,919 fishermen, using 13,100 motor boats and 179 other boats — a gain of 2,438 fishermen , 2,777 

 motor boats, and 11 other boats compared with the previous year. 



Wisconsin and Arkansas led in volume with 11.0 million pounds each, followed by Minne- 

 sota (8.8 million) and Louisiana (8 . 1 million pounds). Arkansas led in value of landings with$2.3 

 million, followed by Louisiana with $1.4 million. 



The value of processed products was $27 . 1 million — $2 . 3 million more than in 1969 . Frozen 

 packaged fishery products accounted for $20.1 million (74 percent) of the total, and increased 9 

 percent compared with 1969: fresh packaged fishery products accounted for $1.8 million (7 per- 

 cent) of the total, and increased 167 percent compared with 1969. Canned and industrial fishery 

 products ($3.1 million) and cured fishery products ($2.1 million) were 11 percent and 8 percent, 

 respectively, of the total value of processed fishery products. 



Beginning with the 1964 report, the Mississippi FUver section has included some data from 

 river systems not connected wither draining into the Mississippi River or its tributaries. For ex- 

 ample, salmon are reported from waters draining into the Pacific Ocean. Landings are also re- 

 ported from river systems draining north into Hudson Bay and south into the Gulf of Mexico. 



The following organizations helped collect the data appearing in this section: Alabama De- 

 partment of Conservation, Division of Game and Fish; Arizona Game and Fish Department; Arkansas 

 Game and Fish Commission, Division of Fisheries; Colorado Game , Fish and Parks Department; 

 Idaho Fish and Game Department; Illinois Department of Conservation, Division of Fisheries; Indi- 

 ana Department of Conservation, Division of Fish and Game, Section of Fish Management; Iowa 

 State Conservation Commission, Division of Fish and Game; Kansas Forestry, Fish and Game Com- 

 mission, Fisheries Division; Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources; Louisiana Wild 

 Life and Fisheries Commission; Minnesota Department of Conservation, Division of Game and Fish, 

 Section of Fisheries; Mississippi Game and Fish Commission; Missouri Conservation Commission; 

 Montana Department of Fish and Game, Fisheries Management; Nebraska Game, Forestation and 

 Parks Commission, Fishery Division; New Mexico Department of Game and Fish; North Dakota 

 Game and Fish Department, Fisheries Division; Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation; 

 Division of Fisheries; South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks; Tennessee Game and 

 Fish Commission, Fish Management Division; Texas Game and Fish Commission; Inland Fisheries; 

 Utah State Fish and Game Department; Wisconsin Conservation Department, Fish Management Di- 

 vision; Wyoming Game and Fish Commission; and the Tennessee Valley Authority, Fish and Game 

 Branch. 



