SEAFOODNEWS.COM by Michael Ramsingh — September 24, 2014 — Improved landings in August, along with reports that shrimping in the Gulf of Mexico is strong so far in September suggest that weather-related delays early in the season may have pushed back the landing pattern for the fishery this year. As a result, early reports of lower catches may simply be timing issues.
The latest set of Gulf of Mexico shrimp landing data in August showed landings were 10 percent above the five-year average at 18.7 million pounds.
Gulf shrimp landings were much improved in August, trending above the 5-year average
Graph Credit: Urner Barry
Landings in Louisiana and Texas make up most of the August landings. Each state showed a substantial month-over-month increases in their harvests. Louisiana shrimpers pulled in 36 percent more shrimp compared to July, while the Texas harvest surged 143 percent.
These figures support our report from August that suggested a series of shrimp fishing delays across the Gulf States in May has pushed the fishery’s traditional landing pattern back. A look at May landings shows the month’s harvest was down about 60 percent compared to the average over the past three years.
Gulf shrimp landings in May this year were down considerbly compared to past years
Graph Credit: Urner Barry
Along with the August data, shrimpers are reporting strong fishing across the Gulf in September.
Louisiana’s Dean Blanchard from Dean Blanchard Seafood Inc. said his boats are experiencing some of the best fishing they have seen for the month of September. He did say most of the fishing was for larger sized brown shrimp offshore. But Blanchard agreed that the season appears to running on a delayed pattern.
Over in Texas, Galveston Shrimp Company’s Nello Cassarino said his boats pulled in a good amount of brown shrimp for September but have already switched over to white. Cassarino warned it is difficult to analyze shrimp landings based on month to month data, but did agree September landings are better.
To Cassarino’s point, Gulf landings through August are still down 17 percent compared to the five year average and 15 percent below last year.
Even with a new set of landing data, there is still no guarantee on the outcome of the Gulf shrimp season. However, there’s no doubt that August was a much better month for landings and September will be another strong month.
This supports the idea that the delays earlier in the year will be made up with stronger fishing in September and the 4th quarter.
This story originally appeared on Seafood.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.