Shrimp 
Shrimp resources of the United States are distrib- 
uted along the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Pacific 
coasts. Landings in 1975 were 343.6 million pounds 
and were valued at $226.2 million. 
In 1975 the Gulf States accounted for 49 percent 
of the total U.S. landings and 79 percent of the 
value. Historically, the Gulf has provided over 76 
percent of the landed value of U.S. shrimp. NMFS 
officials have varying opinions on the status of the 
Gulf shrimp stock. Some officials believe that the 
data are insufficient for estimates of the biomass or 
for establishing a maximum sustainable yield figure; 
others believe that the fishery appears to be operating 
at or near the maximum sustainable yield. Existing 
harvesting capability in the Gulf appears to exceed 
that needed to harvest the available resources. Shrimp 
landings over the last 11 years or so have been 
essentially constant. The catch per unit of effort has 
decreased, which indicates more intensive effort for 
the relatively constant level of the shrimp biomass. 
The 1975 shrimp catch in the Pacific was 136.9 
million pounds valued at $14.5 million. In 1975, for 
the fourth consecutive year, Alaska led the Nation 
in volume with 98.3 million pounds. 
The principal shrimp fisheries in the Atlantic are 
located off the coasts of Maine, New Hampshire, 
Massachusetts, North Carolina, South Carolina, 
Georgia, and Florida. The combined landings of 
northern and southern shrimp in 1975 were about 
36.6 million pounds valued at $33.4 million. 
Shrimp stocks in the northern Atlantic are de- 
pleted. Total landings have decreased, and there are 
indications of decreases in the catch per unit of 
effort and size of shrimp landed. Stock depletion of, 
the northern shrimp is directly related to an intense 
buildup of fishing effort. The fishery had 89 vessels 
in 1967 and 400 in 1972. The increase in fishing effort 
and the decline in stocks indicate excess harvesting 
capacity. Some biologists believe that environmental] 
factors have also contributed to the decline of the 
northern shrimp. 
The southern Atlantic shrimp fishery appears to 
be operating at or near the maximum yield unde; 
present fishing practices. The catch per unit of effort 
in the South Atlantic is quite low owing to the large 
number of vessels in the fishery. 
The South Atlantic and Gulf have some shrimp 
species, including royal red shrimp, that are under- 
used. Research, however, has not shown that suffi 
cient quantities are available for commercial develop- 
ment. On the Pacific coasts, some shrimp resourccs 
in Alaska waters are underused. 
Tuna 
The commercially important species of tuna in- 
clude albacore, bigeye, bluefin, skipjack, and ycllow: 
fin. Tuna live throughout the tropical and temperate 
waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. 
As early as 1971, NMFS officials considered stocks 
of the temperate and tropical species in the tradi- 
tional grounds to be caught at nearly their potential 
maximum. The 5-year trend of U.S. tuna landings 
during 1970-74 has been upward. The 1975 catch 
was a record 568.2 million pounds, of which about 
two-thirds were landed in the continental United 
States and Hawaii and one-third in Puerto Rico. 
The increased domestic tuna catch in 1970-75 re- 
sulted, in part, from a greatly intensified fishing effort 
by US. seiners. 
Future sustained catch increases of albacore and 
yellowfin tunas are not expected in the eastern Pacific 
‘traditional fishery. In addition, U.S. fishers are 
faving increased difficulties in retaining access to 
traditional tuna fishing grounds in the eastern Pacific, 
because of the growing trend toward extended na- 
ional jurisdiction over fishing resources. 
Federal Fisheries Establishment 
With the goal of maintaining an adequate supply 
of fish and fish products for the American consumer 
and marine anglers and the commitment of protect- 
ing marine resources, the Federal Government has 
become involved in fisheries at all levels. This 
involvement includes basic research (understanding 
the biology of fish, théit-rotes~in-the aquatic eco- 
system and their population dynamics); management 
and_conservation (establishing regulations and pro- 
grams to assure that stocks are not depleted and 
that habitats are protected), financial _and_ technical 
sistance to strengthen the fishing industry and foster 
habitat_protection measures. 
As early as 1871, the Congress became aware that 
Fisheries was established to study the problem and 
to determine how it could be alleviated. Today, in- 
creased fishing activity combined with more efficient 
gear and harvesting techniques has threatened many 
stocks in waters within the U.S. jurisdiction. 
While neither fish nor their use has changed sig- 
nificantly during the past 100 years—they are still 
primarily a food item—they have become more than 
a source of protein. Fish are an international com- 
modity, and fishing is both a recreational activity 
and the resource base of an industry. Commercial 
fishing activities and their supporting industries con- 
tribute an estimated $7 billion to the US. fia 
(iss 
%1j.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA, NMFS. Fisheries 
Development—Wave of the Future. Washington, D.C. Unpub- 
lished. 
