Catches of shrimp in the Gulf of Mexico were down more than 40 percent from the historical average in July, according to NOAA, which recently released catch data from last month.
The overall catch of 6.7 million pounds of shrimp by U.S. trawlers fishing in the Gulf of Mexico in July represents a 44.7 percent dip below the prior 14-year historical average, according to NOAA. According to the Southern Shrimp Alliance, in the previous 14 years, fewer total shrimp were caught in only one, in 2010, when 5.5 million pounds of shrimp were landed.
Plunging catch totals in Texas (2 million pounds caught, off 61.1 percent from the historical average) and Louisiana (2.6 million pounds caught, 44.8 percent below the historical average) were mainly responsible for the lower overall figures.
Even with the drop in landings in July, totals for 2016 remain above those for the first seven months of 2015 and 2015. This year, 41.9 million pounds of shrimp have been caught in the Gulf, compared to 40.4 million pounds in 2015 and 40.5 million pounds in 2014. But the 2016 figures are still almost 25 percent below the historical average at this point in the season.
Pricing for large shrimp reflects tighter supply, with UN/15 count for headless shrimp reported around USD 8.39 (EUR 7.51) per pound in the Northern Gulf, up from USD 7.84 (EUR 7.02) per pound in July 2015. Prices for smaller shrimp, however, are near historic lows, with ex-vessel prices around USD 1.20 (EUR 1.08) per pound in the Western Gulf last month.
