NOAA reports that shrimpers in the Gulf landed 9.7 million pounds of shrimp last month. That total represents the second least productive June since 2002, behind only June 2010 (9.6 million pounds). The amount of shrimp landed in the Gulf last month was roughly half the previous thirteen-year average for the month of June (18.5 million pounds).
The decline in landings was driven primarily by the smallest volume of shrimp caught in Louisiana in any June over the last fourteen years (4.8 million pounds) – 58% below the historical average for the month (11.4 million pounds). The large decline in Louisiana’s June landing figure is most likely caused by the result of the state’s decision to shut down the spring fishery early in June. An abundance of smaller sized white shrimp had fishery managers shut down inshore fishing until the fall season start date on August 17.
For the first half of the year, shrimp landings in the Gulf (29.9 million pounds) are also the second least reported since 2002, behind, again, only 2010 (28.5 million pounds). This is over 34% below historical averages. Similarly, shrimp landings in Louisiana (15.1 million pounds) for the first six months are the second least reported since 2002, other than 2010 (11.6 million pounds). For the state, this is 45% below historical averages.
At the same time, the ex-vessel prices reported by NOAA for June 2015 were substantially lower than ex-vessel prices reported in June of last year. Ex-vessel prices for smaller shrimp have continued to deteriorate to a far greater extent than larger shrimp, although prices for U15 count shrimp in the Northern Gulf were reported to have fallen below those reported in June 2013. The decline of ex-vessel prices for 26-30 count and smaller size shrimp in both the Northern and Western Gulf have largely reversed price gains achieved over the last two years.
Please click the following link to view SSA’s compilation and summary of June 2015 Shrimp Landings and Ex-Vessel Prices:
https://shrimpalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/June-2015-Landings.pdf