NOAA technical memorandum NMFS-SEFC ; 171

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)

The Fishery Conservation Zone (FCZ) off the coast of Texas has been closed to shrimping since 1981 (from mid-May to mid-July) to coincide with the closure of the Texas territorial sea. These areas were closed to increase the size of commercially harvested brown shrimp. The econometric analysis of brown shrimp supply-demand relationships for three shrimp sizes (small - more than 67 tails per pound~ medium - 31 to 67 tails per pound~ and large - less than 31 tails per pound) estimated the changes in ex-vessel prices asso- ciated with simulated changes in landings. The estimated 0.4 million pound increase in landings due to the FCZ closure resulted in an increase in revenue of $6.7 million for May 1983 through April 1984. Preliminary estimates of the closure effect for May-August 1984 show a decrease in landings of 0.8 million pounds with an increase in revenue of $5.8 million. Changes in landings and value are due to the estimated decrease in catch of lower-valued small shrimp with an increase in higher-valued medium and large shrimp. The combined closure of the Texas territorial sea and the Texas FCZ in 1983 was estimated to have increased brown shrimp landings by 3.5 million pounds, with a resulting increase in revenue of $31.7 million for May 1983 through April 1984.