Trends in Texas commercial fishery landings, 1977-1986

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in cooperation with the National Marine Fisheries Service collects data commercially landed finfish and shellfish from Texas bays and from the Gulf of Mexico off Texas. Shrimp continue to be the most important commercial seafood product landed in Texas. They represented an average 84%, by weight, of all seafood landed from 1977 through 1986 and more than 93 of the total ex-vessel value. The remaining landings were comprised of blue crabs (9%), Eastern oysters (4%) and finfish (4%). The remaining ex-vessel value resulted from the sale of Eastern oysters (3%), blue crabs (2%) and finfish (2%). Since 1977, the mean price per pound paid to commercial fishermen for most shrimp has increased by 158%, while finfish prices increased 114%, Eastern oysters increased 58% and blue crabs increased 27%. The total reported landings for 1986 established a new record for annual landings at 116 million pounds with a record reported ex-vessel value of $246 million.