gulf of mexico shrimp
fishery improvement partnership
SFP is working in the Gulf of Mexico with Ocean Conservancy. By working with major buyers and suppliers, our goal is to help fishers, agencies and industry bodies in the Gulf deploy effective by-catch reduction devices across the fleet and to ensure the shrimp fishery meets red snapper by-catch limits. By-catch of red snapper is one key obstacle the Gulf of Mexico shrimp fishery must overcome before it can be considered sustainable. We engage large buyers to work directly with fishermen to adopt environmentally-preferred fishing gear and to purchase shrimp caught by boats using cleaner, more fuel-efficient, gear.
In November, 2008, The Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Fishery Improvement Roundtable was formed as a collaborative effort between SFP, Texas Sea Grant, Ocean Conservancy, processors, fleet operators, individual fishermen, and seafood distributors. Roundtable participants are working towards these goals:
- Provide a forum to discuss and agree on measures to improve Gulf of Mexico shrimp fisheries so they become ecologically and economically sustainable for the benefit of shrimpers, processors, wholesalers, buyers and society at large.
- Facilitate private-sector initiatives to help shrimp fishermen transition to lower impact, fuel efficient, fishing gear through innovative financing and the training necessary for optimum performance of the cleaner gear.
- Promote and publicize the work of shrimpers employing low impact gear and develop marketing strategies that engage the marketplace in rewarding fishermen who have made the transition to better gear and practices.
- Engage state and federal regulators regarding policy and regulatory improvement measures.
Related Documents
Gulf of Mexico Shrmip Initiative pdf- Houston Roundtable November 2008 pdf
- Roundtable Agreement pdf
- Roundtable Objectives pdf