Overall Economics of Gulf Fisheries

In 2008, commercial fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico

harvested 1.27 billion pounds of finfish and shellfish that

earned $659 million in total landings revenue.

There were 3.2 million recreational fishermen who

took a fishing trip in the Gulf of Mexico region, and they

took 24 million fishing trips in 2008.

Shrimp Species

Major shrimp species in the Gulf of Mexico include

white shrimp, pink shrimp and brown shrimp. These

species are mainly located in coastal areas. During the

spring, the young, or postlarvae, migrate from coastal

areas. Impacts on these shrimp will increase as the oil

slick approaches nearshore areas.

Shrimp species will be impacted due to mortality of

adults, as well as postlarvae. In particular, brown shrimp

postlarvae will be migrating out of inshore waters from

February to April, while white shrimp will begin 

migration in May and continue through November. The

spill could have impacts not only on shrimp catches this

year, but also next year if postlarvae mortality is high.

The economic impact of the oil spill on shrimp could

be extensive. The Gulf region landings of shrimp are the

nation’s largest with 188.3 million pounds or 73 percent

of the national total (Fisheries of the US, 2008).

Louisiana led all Gulf states in landings with 89 million

pounds with a dockside value of $130.6 million in 2008,

followed by Texas (63.8 million pounds,

dockside value of $157.2 million), 

Alabama (17 million pounds, dockside value of 

$38.4 million), Florida’s West Coast (9.9 million pounds,

dockside value of $23.3 million), and Mississippi 

(8.6 million pounds, dockside value of $17.1 million).

Crabs

There are three species of crabs in the Gulf of Mexico

area: blue crab, Gulf stone crab, and stone crab. Blue crab

occurs almost exclusively in state waters with peak

spawning occurring in August-September. Eggs and 

larvae develop and settle in the estuaries until crabs reach

harvestable size in April-May.

The Gulf stone crab is relatively

abundant in the Louisiana, 

Mississippi and Alabama

nearshore areas in the spring 

period. The stone crab distribution

is relatively limited.

Blue crabs are the most economically valuable crab

species for the region. Louisiana lands approximately 

26 percent of the total blue crabs for the nation or 41.6

million pounds in 2008, with a dockside value of 

$32 million. Landings and dockside values for the other

Gulf states were: West Florida, 2.7 million pounds, 

$3.3 million, Texas, 2.6 million pounds, $2.3 million, 

Alabama, 1.8 million pounds, $1.5 million, Mississippi,

450,000 pounds, $447,000.

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

U.S. Department of Commerce

NOAA’s Oil Spill Response

Fish Stocks in the

Gulf of Mexico
Oysters

The Gulf region leads the 

nation in the production of 

oysters, some 67 percent of the

nation’s total. The following landings and dockside value

was produced in 2008 in the Gulf states: Louisiana,

12,778,311 pounds, $38.8 million; Texas, 2,679,207

pounds, $8.83 million; Mississippi, 2,610,349 pounds,

$6.87 million; West Florida, 2,501,475 pounds, 

$5.47 million; Alabama, 72,776 pounds, $243,414.

Finfish

There is a wide variety of fish species in the Gulf of

Mexico. In federal waters, the surface-oriented species

will be most impacted by the early stages of the oil spill.

As the crude oil sinks, the bottom-oriented fish 

community may be impacted. The major impacts will 

be on nearshore species or species that may be 

currently spawning.

In general, reef fish species in the Gulf of Mexico are

associated with bottom topographies on the continental

shelf, coral reefs, artificial reefs, rocky hard-bottom 

substrates. The majority of these species are inshore of

the current location of the oil spill. There are potential

negative impacts on fish larval stages since several reef

fish are currently spawning or will be spawning if the oil

spill continues.

Mortality on larvae caused by the oil spill will result

in declines in recruitment in future age classes. This will

negatively impact the rebuilding plans for these species,

as well as short- and potentially long-term economic 

impacts on commercial and recreational fisheries in the

Gulf of Mexico.

Juvenile red snapper are common on mud bottoms in

the northern Gulf, particularly off Texas through 

Alabama. Also, some juvenile snappers (e.g. mutton,

gray, red, dog, lane, and yellowtail snappers) and

groupers (e.g. goliath grouper, red, gag, and yellowfin

groupers) have been documented in inshore seagrass

beds, mangrove estuaries, lagoons, and larger bay systems. As long as the oil spill remains on the surface and

offshore, the impacts to reef fish habitat should be minor.

However, if the oil slick reaches the bottom or nearshore/

inshore areas, the majority of the 42 reef fish species

managed in the Gulf of Mexico will be affected.

The commercial landings and dockside value of red

snapper, one of the more valuable finfish species, by state

for 2008 was as follows: Texas, 869,966 pounds, $2.74

million; West Florida, 847,884 pounds, $2.94 million;

Louisiana, 589,379 pounds, $2.03 million; Alabama,

60,391 pounds, $237,141. There were no data available

for Mississippi.

Postlarvae and juveniles of menhaden and mullets

(winter spawners whose juveniles are now entering the

estuaries) may be affected by the oil spill. Depending on

current Loop Current dynamics, Atlantic bluefin tuna

may also be impacted by the oil spill. Atlantic bluefin

tuna larvae may also be present in the region of the oil

slick. Their presence however is quite dependent on and

related to the Loop Current eddies and fronts. The other

consideration is the number and extent of Sargassum

mats that may intersect with the oil. The Sargassum is

nursery habitat for gray triggerfish and the amberjacks.

There are many groundfish species that are located in

the area of the oil spill and associated coastal areas.

Sharks

Shark species are distributed throughout the Gulf 

region with the highest abundances in the central Gulf

from Louisiana to Alabama. Blacktip sharks are 

particularly abundant in this region and are one of the

most commercially important shark species in the Gulf.

During spring and summer months several shark

species of management concern use coastal nursery areas,

and those areas can be expected to be impacted. In 

particular, blacktip sharks, spinner sharks, Atlantic 

sharpnose sharks, and bull sharks are regularly captured

during coastal gill net surveys and bottom longline surveys.

Adult blacktip sharks are more abundant in the 

central Gulf of Mexico than any other region; second

only to sandbar sharks (also widely distributed in the 

May 12, 2010

(continued on next page)
central Gulf) in commercial importance. Tiger sharks are not 

reported to utilize coastal nursery areas, however, their young

are distributed offshore. Whale sharks are distributed along

much of the Gulf of Mexico with highest concentrations off

the Louisiana Delta; their distribution can be both near

coastal and well offshore.

Learn more about NOAA’s response to the BP oil spill at

http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/deepwaterhorizon.

To learn more about NOAA, visit http://www.noaa.gov.

Sharks (Surface-Oriented)

• Whale sharks

• Hammerhead sharks

• Tiger sharks

• Silky sharks

• Mako sharks

Rays (Surface-Oriented)

• Manta rays

• Eagle rays

• Cownose rays

Finfish (Surface-Oriented)

• Tunas

• Billfish

• Molas

Sharks and Finfish 

(Bottom-Oriented)

• Sharks, small coastal 

and large coastal 

management species

• Groupers

- Rock Hind

- Yellowfin

- Scamp

- Red Hind

- Goliath

- Nassau

- Red

- Gag

- Yellowedge

- Snowy

• Snappers

- Mutton

- Blackfin

- Red

- Gray

- Lane

- Silk

- Yellowtail

- Vermillion

• Tilefish

- Blackline

- Anchor

- Blueline

- Golden

- Goldface

• Gray Triggerfish 

and Jack

• Greater and Lesser 

Amberjack

Species in Federal Waters

Common Sharks

• Bull shark

• Blacktip shark

• Spinner shark

• Silky shark

• Atlantic sharpnose shark

Common Finfish

• Red snapper

• Mullet

• Lane snapper

• Red drum

• Gray snapper

• Vermillion snapper

• King and Spanish mackerel

• Gag grouper

• Spotted seatrout

• Cobia

• Greater amberjack

Species in State Waters