Project Cost Estimate Analysis
Deployment of New Turtle Excluder Devices in Shrimp Fisheries
Southern Shrimp Alliance
For the purposes of this project cost estimate analysis, there are three potential categories of shrimp vessels to which this project may apply from the 8 shrimp producing states (NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, MS, LA, TX). This analysis assumes the average cost of a TED is $375.00* for each category:
1) Shrimp vessels federally permitted to operate in the ‘offshore’ fishery in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) using regular shrimp trawls. This project estimates that approximately 1,500 vessels would fall into this category. It is assumed that each of these vessels fishes 4 TED-equipped nets simultaneously and maintains on board 2 additional TED-equipped spare nets for replacing damaged nets while at sea.
1500 Vessels x 6 TEDs = 9000 TEDs @ $375.00 = $ 3,375,000
2) Shrimp vessels not federally permitted to operate in the ‘offshore’ fishery in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) but which operate entirely within State waters (NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, MS, LA, TX) using regular shrimp trawls. This project estimates that approximately 1500 vessels* would fall into this category. It is assumed that each of these vessels fishes 4 TED-equipped nets simultaneously and maintains on board 2 additional TED-equipped spare nets for replacing damaged nets while at sea.
1500 vessels* x 6 TEDs = 9000 TEDs @ $375.00 = $ 3,375,000
3) Shrimp vessels not federally permitted to operate in the ‘offshore’ fishery in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) but which operate entirely within State waters (NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, MS, LA, TX) using skimmer trawls. Skimmer trawls are not currently required to be equipped with TEDs, but NOAA has initiated a scoping process to consider a requirement for all skimmer trawls to be equipped with TEDs. This project estimates that approximately 3600 vessels* fall into this category based on available State permitting data. It is assumed that each of these vessels fishes 2 skimmer trawl nets simultaneously and maintains a third TED-equipped spare net on board for replacing a damaged net while at sea. If NOAA required skimmer trawls to use TEDs, the cost estimate of this category is:
3600 vessels* x 3 TEDs = 10,800 TEDs @ $375.00 = $ 4,050,000
TOTAL ESTIMATED PROJECT COST* = $ 10,800,000
* TO BE REVISED AS MORE DATA BECOMES AVAILABLE.