Texas commercial harvest statistics, 1977-1981

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in cooperation with the National Marine Fisheries Service conducts a continuing program to collect data on commercially harvested finfishes and shellfishes from Texas bays and from the Gulf of Mexico off Texas. Based on the Monthly Marine Products Report of the total finfish and shellfish bay and Gulf of Mexico landings combined decreased 986,900 lb but increased $38,752,400 in value from 1977 to 1981. Brown shrimp (Penaeus aztecus), pink shrimp (P. duorarum) and white shrimp (P. setiferus) constituted 85-91% of all shellfish landings in each year. Red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus), and black drum (Pogonias cromis) constituted 71-73% of all finfish landings in each year. From 1977 to 1981 landings of brown and pink shrimp increased 6,596,500 lb; landings of white shrimp decreased 3,259,700 lb; landings of red drum decreased 337,500 lb; landings of spotted seatrout decreased 701,000 lb; and, landings of black drum decreased 789,700 lb. From 1977 to 1981 the mean price/lb paid the commercial fisherman increased for all species except for other shrimp price which decreased $0.81/lb. Finfish prices increased by $0.01/lb to $0.67/lb and shellfish prices increased by $0.02/lb to $0.53/lb.