With shrimp prices at an all-time high, the Brownsville-Port Isabel shrimp fleet is doing its best to keep up with demand. A 70% drop in imported Asian shrimp due to a disease problem has given Texas shrimpers an opportunity to supply a hungry U.S. market. Approximately 450 trawlers go out from Texas ports.
“There are happy shrimpers now,” said Andrea Hance, executive director of the Brownsville-based Texas Shrimping Association. The owners of the 150 shrimp boats based in Cameron County had endured six tough years prior to this. Fuel prices had hit all-time highs, while shrimp prices had plummeted to all-time lows. In addition, the oil spill closed shrimping grounds.
About 175 million pounds of shrimp are harvested from the Gulf annually by 1,500 boats. That is enough to satisfy only 10-15% of the U.S. market, which consumes 1.4 billion pounds of shrimp. In summer months, a shrimp trawler fishes the Gulf for 45 days straight with its crew of four or five. A good trip means bringing home between 40,000 and 50,000 pounds, headed and individually quick frozen on board. Yet the cost of fuel per trip is still running near $40,000. Given the current shrimp prices, the Port Isabel-Brownsville boats come into port for only a few days to unload their catch, do repairs, refuel, restock and head back out.
“Texas shrimp are sweeter and firmer than imported ones,” said Hance, who owns two shrimp boats with her husband. Through Texas Shrimp Association, she helps educate consumers and legislators about the quality of wild-caught Gulf shrimp as well the importance of protecting and growing Texas wild shrimp. “Texas is the only state that closes its waters to shrimp boats two months of the year.” During those months, Texas boats fish the waters off other states. But when the Texas season re-opens on July 15, Gulf trawlers converge on Texas waters going after the bigger shrimp.
TSA’s Facebook page highlights the restaurants that serve wild-caught shrimp. Besides creating a positive buzz about the Texas shrimping industry, Hance works to keep TSA members informed of environmental issues that impact the industry, legislative issues, changes in import tariffs and wind turbines in the Gulf.
Hance pointed out that the shrimping industry primarily consists of family groups. “Nearly everybody I talk to is from one family or another. They’re cousins or brothers or fathers and sons. The economics of shrimping work out so you can’t have just one boat,” she said. Most families have more than two boats. “Now it’s hard to find a boat for sale. It’s still hard to find a banker to lend you money to buy a shrimp boat.” Used trawlers might sell for $250,000 while new boats are easily double that.
While the shrimping industry has many traditions, some shrimpers are venturing into new arenas. Local shrimpers are tapping into the public’s desire to learn more about where their seafood comes from.
To read the full story by Eileen Mattei, pick up a copy of the January 2014 print edition of Valley Business Report or visit the “Current & Past Issues” tab on this website.