Yesterday, the National Marine Fisheries Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released preliminary landings data for September.
For the month, shrimp landings in the Gulf (13.6 million pounds) were the highest reported since 2009 (17.1 million pounds) and were nearly thirteen (13) percent higher than the average shrimp landings in the Gulf for the month of September over the last six years (12.1 million pounds). NOAA’s reporting indicates that through the first nine months of this year, the total harvest in Louisiana (40.9 million pounds) has been larger than any year since 2009 (43.6 million pounds) and eleven (11) percent higher than the average harvest during the six-year time period between 2007 and 2011 (36.7 million pounds). For the entire Gulf, the volume of shrimp landed is slightly higher (83.0 million pounds) than it was for the comparable period last year (82.8 million pounds) and the six-year average (81.5 million pounds).
While Gulf shrimp landings in 2013 are reported to be above recent historical averages, ex-vessel prices reported by NOAA are high. The ex-vessel price for U15 shrimp was substantially higher in all regions (Eastern Gulf — $8.85/lb.; Northern Gulf — $9/lb.; Western Gulf — $9.60 per pound) than they were last year ($7.55; $6.40; $7, respectively), in 2011 ($7.85; $6.30; $8.10, respectively), in 2010 ($7.85; $5.50; $7, respectively) and 2009 ($7.50; $3.30; $5, respectively). The same trend is reported across count sizes, with the ex-vessel price for 41/50 count substantially higher in all regions (Eastern Gulf — $3.30/lb.; Northern Gulf — $2.95/lb.; Western Gulf — $2.95 per pound) than they were last year ($2.30; $2.20; $2.45, respectively), in 2011 ($2.40; $2.10; $2.05, respectively), in 2010 ($1.80; $2.00; $1.80, respectively) and 2009 ($1.50; $1.45; $1.30, respectively).
Review summary tables of September 2013 and year-to-date landings in comparison with landings reported in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012 here:
https://shrimpalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/September-2013-Landings.pdf