Shrimp Research at the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) conducted a shrimp harvester survey. The main objective of the survey was to gather information on some of the technical aspects of commercial shrimping in Florida, such as gear usage, licensing, and fishing effort and location.  Questionnaires were mailed in November 2004 to commercial fishermen who reported shrimp landings in Florida during 2003.  The questionnaire consisted of 20 questions. Survey respondents were also asked to identify their approximate fishing areas in Florida state waters by marking them on maps provided with the questionnaires.  A total of 201 completed questionnaires were returned and a report was compiled. The data supplemented trip ticket information and provided a more accurate description of the shrimping industry for stock assessments, as well as assisting managers in the development of management strategies and monitoring programs.

Previous shrimp research projects conducted by the Crustacean Fisheries Group included:

• Studies testing the effectiveness of bycatch reduction devices in otter trawls, skimmer trawls, and roller frame trawls
• Investigation of the population genetic structure of pink, brown, and white shrimp in the waters of the eastern United States using sequence analysis of the mitochondrial DNA control region, which is a technique used for studying the shrimp's DNA.