Shrimpers in the Gulf of Mexico reported landings in April that once again show a decline from the previous year.
The Southern Shrimp Alliance, using data compiled by NOAA Fisheries’ Southeast Fisheries Science Center, noted that fishermen in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and the Florida Gulf Coast harvested 2.2 million pounds last month. That’s down from 2.6 million pounds they collected in April 2019 and off the historical average for the month by 18.5 percent.
It marks the third consecutive April decline for Gulf shrimpers.
Most of the shrimp were harvested in Texas, as fishermen there reported landings totaling 1.3 million. That’s an increase of about 100,000 pounds from last April and more than 49 percent above the historic average.
“The increase in reported shrimp landings in Texas for the third straight month comes at the same time as a change in the reporting methodology for NOAA’s monthly report,” the SSA said in a statement. “As previously noted, landings for Texas were reported by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.”
Louisiana shrimpers reported 447,000 pounds for the month. While that was up significantly from the 255,000 pounds last year, it’s still down 50.5 percent from the historic average.
Alabama reported 241,000 pounds, down from 590,000 last year and off the average by 21.8 percent. Florida’s Gulf Coast shrimpers harvested 221,000 pounds. That’s off the average by 65.2 percent and down from the 481,000 pounds collected last April.
Mississippi did not report any landings.
Across the Gulf, year-to-date harvesting is up nearly 900,000 pounds from the same time in 2019. However, the 10.4 million pounds is still 1.5 million – or 13 percent – off the historical average.
For the year-to-date, Texas has harvested 5.3 million pounds, up more than a million pounds through the first four months last year and up 27.6 percent from the historic average.
Louisiana’s 2.1 million pounds year-to-date total is up 600,000 pounds from last year but still remains 44.2 percent off this historic average.
Alabama’s year-to-date landings of 1.7 million is up nearly 7 percent from the historical average but about 700,000 pounds off last year’s tally. Florida’s 1.1 million is less than 100,000 pounds off last year’s mark and 53.4 percent off the average.
Mississippi’s incomplete totals for the year are up slightly – about 25,000 pounds. However, the 189,000 pounds reported is down 43.7 percent from the average.
Photo courtesy of Terry Kelly/Shutterstock
