Native Shrimp

[Mr.X]

I just cooked up some Paella and stuck in some store-bought shrimp farmed in Ecuador, or who knows where?

Man-oh-man do I miss those tasty little Native Shrimp (Pandalus borealis). I remember when you could get a pound for something like $2.00? Could be I was imagining this? Since there's not much diving going on right now - thought I throw in some interesting new info. from what I hope is a recovering population.


http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file//54ecf7c7pr09NorthernShrimpPID_Hearings.pdf

 

[drunkendiver]

I was cod fishing on Wildcat Knoll last summer. When cleaning the cod, piles of semi digested shrimp fell out. You would have never guessed that the biomass is what it is.

 

[Steve_C]

Interesting. Could be a correlation rather than cause and effect but in the last two peaks the drop in shrimp leads to an increase in fish mortality.

 

[Mr.X]

Thanks for the graph - very interesting. I'll have to dig a little more into the study parameters. Whatever they are - not good....unless you are a codfish.


The ASMFC has some interesting bits related to decline. Since this is a diving thread - I will say that I have never seen a Native Shrimp while diving. This make sense as the breeding population stays offshore during summer. Additionally, there have been significant population declines since the mid 1980's. At the moment the recommendation is a moratorium through 2015. A factor (aside from water temp) is predation by fish species like cod & various species of hake. species - Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission

Anyway, the paella I made just doesn't taste as good and the frozen shrimp (from wherever) taste like mealy dog food.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Interesting. Could be a correlation rather than cause and effect but in the last two peaks the drop in shrimp leads to an increase in fish mortality.

Actually, the graph says "fishing mortality," not "fish mortality." Doesn't that mean the amount taken by fishing? But that doesn't square with the original post, which I understand refers to the shrimp fishery presently being completely closed. I am confused.

 

[drunkendiver]

I am confused.

Lorenzoid

Yes, it's kind of weird the ASMF would be considering a future limited entry for a depleted stock by there own data. Slow day at the office maybe? I thought the basic "fishing mortality rate" was the catch/biomass. I'm sure they adjust with fudge factors and what not. Another link I found was for the 2014 assessment.

http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file/545cf3b5NShrimpStockStatusReport_2014.pdf

Mr.X

The cod we were catching were in 300' to 400' of water. Hope you wouldn't have seen shrimp while you were diving :shocked2:. However, I see your a rebreather diver. I just read the book Raising the Dead (great read), which made diving at those depths sound like going down to the kiddie pool. I'd be interested to see what you come up with in your investigations. The ASMFC also has a page for describing thier modeling for stock assessments, If I get a chance I'll try and digest some of it.

 

[Mr.X]

Cool stuff with the cod. Trawl, or sport hook and line?

On a shrimp note - the furthest offshore (Massachusetts) and deep on scuba was on the Doria. Some guy on one Doria trip one-handed a cod which was swimming around the promenade deck. Doing deco with a cod in hand was crazy, but I guess it was a consolation prize for not getting any china. On a WHOI survey trip we did a short trawl on Georges Bank and video....very few cod. Some pollock though.

In thinking back I have never really seen a Native Shrimp school. I have seen small blooms of euphasids. Once in a while guys came up with tons of Caprellan shrimp on their suits after doing long deco on rope deco lines. However, the caprella/skeleton shrimp are not worth eating. But fun to watch.

The multi-line graph takeaway seems to be no shrimp unless conditions are right. Pretty dense read, but I guess they better have some stats or else get f-bombed at a fisheries meeting. :shocked2: Since I am in a shrimp-jones/withdrawl...I'm going to have to make a trip to Ikea and get some Swedish caught Native Shrimp.

RÄKOR MED SKAL Shrimp with shell, frozen - IKEA

 

[drunkendiver]

Trawl, or sport hook and line?

recreational, penn boat rods/reels with lead line and Norwegian diamond jigs. My wrists and arms took a beating. I'd look into electric reels but I really only get out their once a year if I'm lucky with weather and time.

That must have been funny as hell watching that guy on the deco line with the fish.

 

[CT-Rich]

I just took a quick look on the web. I believe the term Fishing Mortality Rate refers to fish that die due to fishing, as opposed to those that die natural causes. I think they use this term because it could be applied to all catch including unintentional bycatch, which might well go straight back over the side. Full disclosure, I have never worked in the fishing industry and this is strictly the product of being too lazy to go bed research.