Definition of Overfishing and Trend Analysis for Brown, White, and Pink Shrimp

Nine shrimp species contribute to the Gulf of Mexico fishery. However, brown, white and pink shrimp of of the genus Penaeus comprise over 95% of the commercial harvest. These three shrimp species are found in all continental shelf waters in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico inside 60 fathoms (fm). Gulf of Mexico shrimp fishery trends for the past 30 years indicate that both bbrown and white shrimp catch levels have significantly increased, while pink shrimp catch, which was very stable until about 1985, has declined the past few seasons.