NOAA has released shrimp landings data from the Gulf of Mexico for February 2016.
In total, 3.7 million pounds of shrimp were landed in the Gulf last month. The Southern Shrimp Alliance has compiled landings data reported by NOAA back to 2001. The volume of shrimp landed in the Gulf last month is the single largest for the month of February in that sixteen-year time period. Overall, the total amount of shrimp landed for the month was 34.4% higher than the fifteen-year historical average (2.7 million pounds).
The reported increase in February landings resulted from high reported landings across the Gulf. 1.2 million pounds of shrimp were landed in Texas last month, down from 1.3 million pounds landed in February 2015. But the 1.2 million pounds landed last month was still 12.7% above the fifteen-year historical average for the state (1.1 million pounds). On the west coast of Florida, NOAA reported landings of 0.7 million pounds, the highest for any February since 2006 and 28.1% above the fifteen-year historical average for the region (0.5 million pounds). The 1.0 million pounds reported landed in Louisiana last month were the highest reported for a February since 2009 and 37.5% above the fifteen-year historical average for the state (0.8 million pounds). And, at 0.7 million pounds, Alabama had its most productive February, 133% above the fifteen-year historical average for the state (0.3 million pounds).
The high volume levels reported in February counterbalance low reported volumes in January such that, for the year, the 6.9 million pounds landed in the Gulf is equivalent to the fifteen-year historical average (6.9 million pounds). This total volume is the highest reported for the first two months of the year since 2012.
The first two months of the year account for only a small portion of annual Gulf shrimp landings (generally between 4% and 7%). Although the volume of shrimp landed has changed from January to February, ex-vessel prices have remained low. Ex-vessel prices for 41-50 count shrimp and 26-30 count shrimp were reported to be $1.70 per pound and $3.27 per pound, respectively, in the Western Gulf last month. For both count sizes, these are the lowest ex-vessel prices reported for any February since 2010.
Please click the following link to view SSA’s compilation and summary of February 2001-2016 Shrimp Landings and Ex-Vessel Prices for February 2001-2016:
https://shrimpalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/February-2016-Landings.pdf .