Texas commercial harvest statistics, 1977-1980

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) in cooperation with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) conducts a continuing program to collect data on commercially harvested finfishes and shellfishes from Texas bays and from Texas territorial waters in the Gulf of Mexico. Based on the Monthly Marine Products Report (MMPR) the total finfish and shellfish bay and Gulf of Mexico landings combined decreased 18,794,800 lb but increased $15,387,700 in value from 1977 to 1980. Brown shrimp (Penaeus aztecus), pink shrimp (P. duorarum) and white shrimp (P. setiferus) constituted 86-90% of all shellfish landings in all years. Red drum (Sciaenops ocellata), spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus), and black drum (Pogonias cromis) constituted 71-75% of all finfish landings in all years. From 1977 to 1980 landings of brown and pink shrimp decreased 13,565,500 lb; landings of white shrimp decreased 5,184,900 lb; landings of red drum increased 163,600 lb; landings of spotted seatrout decreased 368,700 lb and landings of black drum decreased 395,700 lb and landings of black drum decreased 395,100 lb. From 1977 to 1980 the mean price/lb paid to commercial fishermen increased for all species except for the other finfishes prices which decreased $0.01/lb and the other shrimp price which decreased $0.81/lb. Finfish prices increased by $0.04 to $0.58/lb and shellfish prices increased by $0.01 to $0.46/lb.