An Economic Survey of the Gulf of Mexico Inshore Shrimp Fishery

Gulf of Mexico shrimp are harvested commercially from inshore state waters (waters within the jurisdictional boundaries of the individual states) and from offshore federal waters. This study examines the economic performance of active commercial shrimp harvesters who primarily operated in inshore waters of western Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas throughout 2008. It is designed to complement a similar economic data collection of commercial shrimp harvesters in offshore waters of the Gulf (those holding a federal shrimp permit).

The descriptive results of the Economic Survey of the Gulf of Mexico Inshore Shrimp Fishery for calendar year 2008 are presented, in addition to the survey?s development, implementation, and data preparation. The data collection was designed by the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission (GSMFC) and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) to track the economic status and performance of vessels holding a state shrimp license for harvesting shrimp in the Gulf. A four-page, self-administered mail survey collected information concerning the shrimp harvesting business, vessel information, fishing effort, hurricane impacts, total revenue, trip costs, and other associated costs.