NOAA’s recent release of shrimp landings data in the Gulf of Mexico for July 2015 shows that over 10.5 million pounds of shrimp were caught last month, up from 9.5 million pounds harvested in July 2014. The year-to-year increase was driven by landings in Texas, where 5.2 million pounds of landed shrimp were reported compared to just 2.9 million pounds in 2014. The amount of shrimp landed in Texas in July 2015 was on par with the average volume of shrimp landed in July in the state over the last thirteen years (2002-2014).
In Louisiana, on the other hand, the 3.3 million pounds of shrimp landed last month was significantly less than the 4.9 million pounds caught in July 2014. The total volume of shrimp reported for the state last month was the lowest total reported for July by NOAA since July 2010 and almost one-third of the July historical average over the last thirteen years (4.8 million pounds).
For the year, Gulf shrimp landings over the first seven months in 2015 (40.4 million pounds) are reported to be slightly less than last year (40.5 million pounds). It is the second smallest volume of shrimp reported harvested in the Gulf between January and July over the last fourteen years, ahead of only 2010 (34.0 million pounds), and almost thirty percent below the prior thirteen year historical average (56.8 million pounds).
Although landings volumes have been reported to be historically low, the ex-vessel prices reported by NOAA for July 2015 were substantially lower than ex-vessel prices reported in July of last year. For the Northern and Western Gulf regions, ex-vessel prices for 26-30 count shrimp have fallen to levels not seen since 2009. Across all regions, ex-vessel prices for 41-50 count shrimp are substantially less than what they were reported to be last year. Of the ex-vessel prices reported by NOAA, only prices for U15 count shrimp have remained at elevated levels.
Please click the following link to view SSA’s compilation and summary of July 2002-2015 Shrimp Landings and Ex-Vessel Prices: