 |
| Pink
Shrimp commercial fishing vessel off the coast of Washington State. |
History
The Washington
coastal pink shrimp fishery dates back to the late 1950’s. In
the early years, the number of vessels in the fishery generally numbered
less than two-dozen; and until the 1970’s, landings did not
exceed two million pounds. During the following two decades, the fishery
expanded with abundant shrimp and good markets. In 1988, just over
18 million pounds of pink shrimp were landed by 53 vessels. In 1990,
nearly 100 vessels landed about 15 million pounds at an ex-vessel
price per pound ranging from 45 cents to 64 cents. However, within
a few years a dramatic decline in local abundance drove many fishers
out of the fishery. The fleet numbered just over 50 vessels in 1994,
and fewer than 30 four years later. Since the late 1990’s, trawling
for pink shrimp has improved some. The market remains relatively flat
with ex-vessel values ranging from 15 to 35 cents per pound, but the
20 to 30 fishers still active annually in the fishery have benefited
from an apparent increase in pink shrimp abundance.
 |
| Hoop
Grate Excluder |
Management
Compared to other
trawl fisheries, the pink shrimp fishery provides fishers a stable
commercial opportunity. Management of the fishery is passive; a scheduled
season runs from April through October each year, and there is no
quota or total allowable catch. Regulations are in place to restrict
mesh size, count per pound, and the incidental harvest of other species.
The most significant
management action recently taken has been the implementation of regulations
requiring the use of fin fish excluders to protect over-fished stocks
of rockfish. Typically, rockfish and other species represented about
5% of the total value of the shrimp fishery. In 2000, the Pacific
Fishery Management Council determined canary rockfish to be overfished
under the terms of the Sustainable Fisheries Act.
In response to
this determination Washington, Oregon, and California committed to
reducing the incidental take of canary rockfish in state managed ocean
pink shrimp fisheries. Finfish excluders were deemed the most effective
approach. Initially, the use of excluders was voluntary through a
program that provided fishers time to experiment with the different
types and designs, make modifications, and advise mangers on regulations.
Through this program, finfish excluders were made mandatory mid-season
in 2001 and 2002; and permanently beginning in 2003. The landings
of canary rockfish and other fin fish species now comprise less than
0.01 percent of the total value.
In Washington,
there are approximately 100 pink shrimp permits for the coastal fishery
but only a quarter to a third of these are actively fished each year.
The majority of the shrimp fleet is based at Westport; a couple of
vessels operate out of Ilwaco. Pink shrimp are sold to buyers and
processors in Westport, Tokeland, and Ilwaco.
 |
| Pink
Shrimp off-load at Westport, WA |
Stock Abundance
and Harvest
Pink shrimp abundance
off the coast of Washington is unknown but assumed stable. Agency
reductions in force in 1993 eliminated active pink shrimp management
and a mandatory logbook program was discontinued. Catch information
is available but, by itself is insufficient for assessing stock strength.
The Washington
coastal fishery typically lands about seven to eight million pounds
annually. Most fishing occurs off the central and southern coast of
Washington.
Rules
and Regulations
| Washington State Coastal Pink Shrimp Fishery Summary |
| Annual
Landings by Catch Area |
| Year |
Marine
Fish Catch Area Code |
Total |
| 58B |
59A |
59A1 |
59A2 |
60A |
60A1 |
60A2 |
61 |
| 1990 |
28,641 |
302,716 |
|
|
12,427,304 |
|
|
786,936 |
13,545,597 |
| 1991 |
328,468 |
1,132,820 |
|
|
7,974,766 |
|
|
507,328 |
9,943,382 |
| 1992 |
252,943 |
174,749 |
|
|
9,500,813 |
|
|
2,044,883 |
11,973,388 |
| 1993 |
1,243,050 |
1,784,576 |
|
|
11,872,539 |
|
|
555,558 |
15,455,723 |
| 1994 |
|
425,251 |
|
|
4,760,229 |
|
|
276,978 |
5,462,458 |
| 1995 |
48,064 |
1,419,335 |
|
|
5,684,903 |
|
|
106,157 |
7,258,459 |
| 1996 |
|
1,391,465 |
|
|
3,885,385 |
|
|
37,900 |
5,314,750 |
| 1997 |
28,186 |
171,307 |
|
|
4,608,731 |
|
|
148,173 |
4,956,397 |
| 1998 |
86,105 |
|
174 |
8,216 |
|
409,957 |
585,529 |
547,951 |
1,637,932 |
| 1999 |
|
|
46,540 |
|
|
503,395 |
996,828 |
1,099,256 |
2,646,019 |
| 2000 |
|
|
|
|
|
2,671,533 |
1,160,292 |
521,083 |
4,352,908 |
| 2001 |
34,306 |
|
349,936 |
|
|
4,619,290 |
1,075,507 |
511,305 |
6,590,344 |
| 2002 |
|
|
19,312 |
186,820 |
|
7,608,073 |
695,342 |
1,538,663 |
10,048,210 |
| 2003 |
|
|
102,283 |
141,350 |
|
5,569,799 |
515,258 |
1,565,112 |
7,893,802 |
| 2004 |
|
|
57,820 |
175,088 |
|
2,501,330 |
637,285 |
2,008,764 |
5,380,287 |
| 2005 |
|
|
233,440 |
233,896 |
|
2,982,386 |
770,862 |
2,044,471 |
6,265,055 |
| 2006 |
48,073 |
|
909,028 |
818,339 |
|
2,361,239 |
555,654 |
1,490,308 |
6,182,641 |
| 2007 |
|
|
440,436 |
149,153 |
|
1,298,449 |
108,627 |
1,245,947 |
3,242,612 |
| 2008 |
|
|
914,602 |
183,885 |
|
3,527,792 |
639,115 |
1,002,600
|
6,267,994 |
2009 |
|
|
117,031 |
342,825 |
|
3,911,381 |
167,510 |
2,471,839 |
7,010,586 |
| Annual
Landings by Month |
| Year |
April |
May |
June |
July |
August
|
September |
October |
November |
Total |
| 1990 |
1,145,732 |
3,014,017 |
3,095,241 |
2,962,134 |
1,819,347 |
1,251,863 |
257,263 |
|
13,545,597 |
| 1991 |
1,111,842 |
1,245,240 |
1,553,606 |
1,074,039 |
2,409,264 |
1,219,723 |
1,244,553 |
85,115 |
9,943,382 |
| 1992 |
1,880,430 |
729,048 |
1,534,000 |
2,124,590 |
1,901,198 |
1,961,599 |
1,842,523 |
|
11,973,388 |
| 1993 |
2,879,016 |
4,691,648 |
4,339,014 |
1,397,777 |
1,322,177 |
519,489 |
306,602 |
|
15,455,723 |
| 1994 |
627,439 |
788,394 |
862,003 |
1,252,081 |
1,333,002 |
355,609 |
243,930 |
|
5,462,458 |
| 1995 |
587,168 |
1,448,668 |
1,516,247 |
1,004,354 |
1,217,112 |
1,226,593 |
241,725 |
16,592 |
7,258,459 |
| 1996 |
277,724 |
719,178 |
880,047 |
887,284 |
1,000,028 |
1,105,926 |
444,563 |
|
5,314,750 |
| 1997 |
280,599 |
1,139,541 |
887,297 |
922,964 |
937,249 |
685,726 |
103,021 |
|
4,956,397 |
| 1998 |
210,762 |
551,637 |
266,399 |
284,630 |
256,430 |
68,074 |
|
|
1,637,932 |
| 1999 |
169,436 |
506,410 |
605,533 |
468,097 |
352,204 |
293,177 |
251,162 |
|
2,646,019 |
| 2000 |
40,384 |
275,814 |
1,447,889 |
1,058,385 |
681,044 |
651,333 |
198,059 |
|
4,352,908 |
| 2001 |
1,307,752 |
1,249,542 |
1,465,419 |
865,359 |
919,403 |
486,567 |
296,302 |
|
6,590,344 |
| 2002 |
604,441 |
1,273,203 |
1,822,342 |
1,662,659 |
2,245,624 |
1,242,122 |
1,197,819 |
|
10,048,210 |
| 2003 |
208,208 |
1,118,329 |
1,084,711 |
1,619,314 |
1,844,736 |
1,487,658 |
530,846 |
|
7,893,802 |
| 2004 |
1,118,762 |
1,578,294 |
906,721 |
713,399 |
446,162 |
453,985 |
162,964 |
|
5,380,287 |
| 2005 |
344,363 |
853,423 |
955,283 |
1,075,122 |
1,305,030 |
1,406,580 |
325,254 |
|
6,265,055 |
| 2006 |
1,104,844 |
1,856,060 |
1,327,280 |
637,969 |
626,292 |
393,501 |
236,695 |
|
6,182,641 |
| 2007 |
49,777 |
312,309 |
547,097 |
695,956 |
967,661 |
750,755 |
21,685 |
|
3,345,240 |
| 2008
|
110,233
|
1,342,373 |
1,787,065 |
1,547,481
|
859,714 |
490,993
|
130,135
|
|
6,267,994 |
2009 |
252,096 |
1,002,120 |
1,339,656 |
1,123,879 |
1,283,356 |
1,537,925 |
471,554 |
|
7,010,586 |
|
