Shrimpers in the Gulf of Mexico enjoyed a strong April, as data from NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center indicated the haul was the second-best for the month in the last 17 years.
The 4.2 million pounds landed in April marked a 57.2 percent increase over the previous 16-year average, according to a news release from the Southern Shrimp Alliance. Only last year’s landings, which totaled 5.3 million pounds, topped the 2018 total.
Louisiana, which had reported numbers far off its averages in previous 2018 monthly figures, saw a sharp uptick in its April landings. The 1.6 million pounds for April was the state’s fourth-best total for that month since 2006 and more than 83 percent of its April average dating back to 2002.
Even with the big April, Louisiana still lags from its usual production. The 2.4 million landed for the first four months of the year is roughly 40 percent 2001-2017 average and just less than half of what it totaled for the same timeframe last year.
Texas also enjoyed a robust April as its nearly 1.5 million pounds landed was more than 72 percent higher than historical averages. For the year, Texas shrimpers are up 3.1 percent (4.2 million pounds) from their average (4.1 million pounds).
Alabama’s 625,000 pounds landed in April were well more than double its previous April average (270,163 pounds). Landings on the gulf coast of Florida, which totaled 491,000, were off 25 percent from historic averages (653,938 pounds).
Mississippi officials reported no landings for April.
April prices for shrimp in the western gulf, USD 10.07 (EUR 8.58) for U15, went up USD 0.70 (EUR 0.60) from last April, and the USD 2.99 (EUR 2.55) for 41-50s was USD 0.44 (EUR 0.38) higher than last year. Prices for 26-30s dipped USD 0.03 (EUR 0.02) to USD 4.47 (EUR 3.81).
According to the SSA, landings for the first four months of the year typically account for less than 16 percent of the annual total brought to shore. Last year, shrimpers landed 15.7 million pounds of shrimp, the highest total reported going back to 2002. However, the annual total of 100.4 million ended up being the third-smallest since 2002.
