Commercial Finfish Industry

Mississippi Commercial Finfish Industry

The primary food fish species harvested include red snapper, redfish, seatrout, flounder, mullet, and sheepshead. The bulk of the volume of finfish collected for industrial uses consists of menhaden. During the past decade, the annual finfish commercial landings averaged 243 million pounds valued at $18 million.

Commercial finfish landings contributed 97 percent of the total Mississippi commercial landings from 2009 to 2018. In dockside values, finfish landings added 45 percent to Mississippi commercial landing values during the past decade.

Figure 1 shows the annual Mississippi commercial finfish landings (in million pounds) and landing values (in million dollars) since 1950 from NOAA Fisheries website.

In response to requests by state regulatory agencies and seafood organizations, the 2009 (and later) economic contributions of the Mississippi seafood industry by major species were imputed from state estimates published by NOAA Fisheries. Extension and research publications were developed to document the economic contributions of the major seafood species landed, processed, sold, and consumed in Mississippi.

Sales are the gross sales by businesses within the economic region affected by an activity. Sales, income, value-added, and tax contributions are measured in dollars. Employment or job contribution is expressed in terms of a mix of both full-time and part-time jobs. The total economic contribution is the sum of direct, indirect, and induced contributions.

The economic contributions of the state finfish industry in 2009 are shown in the table below. The sales contributions reached $101.91 million in 2009 and generated 2,445 full-time and part-time jobs. Income contribution was $40.45 million, and value-added created was $52.6 million. The industry added tax impacts reaching $4.68 million.

Table 1 shows estimates of the 2009 economic contributions of the Mississippi finfish industry from MAFES Bulletin 1209.

Lesser economic contributions of the Mississippi finfish industry were estimated in 2011, as shown in the table below. The sales contributions of the sector fell to $81.64 million, which generated 2,003 full-time and part-time jobs. Income contribution reached $33.14 million, and value-added created was $42.75 million. The industry made tax impacts totaling $6.99 million.

Table 2 shows estimates of the 2011 economic contributions of the Mississippi finfish industry from https://coastal.msstate.edu/economic-impact-finfish.

Updated estimates of the 2015 economic contributions of the finfish industry in Mississippi are shown below. The sales contribution of the industry reached $215 million. The value-added contribution created by the industry reached over $108 million. The industry generated more than 4,300 full-time and part-time jobs and income contribution amounting to more than $82 million.

Table 3 shows the economic contributions of the Mississippi finfish industry in 2015 from Extension publication 3194.

MISSISSIPPI MARKETMAKER

Vol. 9 No. 3 / Commercial Red Drum Fishing

Vol. 9 No. 2 / Commercial Spotted Seatrout Fishing

Vol. 9 No. 1 / Commercial Spanish Mackerel Fishing

Vol. 8 No. 17 / Commercial Blue Catfish Fishing

Vol. 8 No. 16 / Commercial Yellowedge Grouper Fishing

Vol. 8 No. 15 / Commercial Vermilion Snapper Fishing

Vol. 8 No. 14 / Commercial Yellowfin Tuna Fishing

Vol. 8 No. 13 / Commercial Gag Grouper Fishing

Vol. 8 No. 12 / Commercial Black Drum Fishing

Vol. 8 No. 10 | Commercial Yellowtail Snapper Fishing

Vol. 8 No. 7 / Commercial Red Grouper Fishing

Vol. 7 No. 14 | Commercial Southern Flounder Fishing in the Gulf of Mexico States

Vol. 7 No. 13 | Commercial Menhaden Fishing in the Gulf of Mexico States

Vol. 7 No. 12 | Commercial Catfish Production in the United States

Vol. 7, No. 5 - Commercial Striped Mullet Fishing

Vol. 7, No. 3 - Commercial Red Drum Fishing in the Gulf of Mexico Region

Vol. 7, No. 1 - Commercial Red Snapper Fishing in the Gulf of Mexico Region

Publications

Publication Number: P3194

Economic Contributions of the MS Seafood Industry by Major Species in 2015

Publication Number: IS1941

Oysters - Delicious and Nutritious Food

Publication Number: P3038

Economic Impacts of the Opening of the Bonnet Carré Spillway on the Mississippi Oyster Fishery

Publication Number: P2849

Economic Sectors Targeted by the Mississippi- Alabama Sea Grant Research, Extension, Education, and Outreach Programs

Publication Number: P2883

Suggested Approach to Estimate Economic Impacts of Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Research, Education, and Outreach Programs

News

A red shrimp boat with similar boats behind and beside it.

Bonnet Carré openings stir trouble for Gulf Coast

Filed Under: Environment, Fisheries, Marine Resources, Seafood Economics, Seafood Harvesting and Processing September 18, 2019

LAPLACE, La. -- Heavy rainfall and snowmelt from the Midwest in 2019 led to three major firsts in the Bonnet Carré Spillway’s history, resulting in a massive influx of fresh water that caused adverse effects on marine life and seafood industries across the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

As Bonnet Carré Spillway closes, impact to seafood industry continues to linger, MSU economist says

Filed Under: Environment, Fisheries, Marine Resources, Seafood Economics, Seafood Harvesting and Processing July 25, 2019

While the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is closing the Bonnet Carré Spillway this week, economic impacts of its months-long opening are expected to be felt in the seafood industry for years to come.

MSU representatives hear client needs, concerns

Filed Under: Commercial Fruit and Nuts, Green Industry, Organic Fruit and Vegetables, Other Vegetables, Corn, Cotton, Nuts, Peanuts, Soybeans, Equine, Goats and Sheep, Poultry, Lawn and Garden, Forestry, Seafood Economics, Seafood Harvesting and Processing March 7, 2018

ELLISVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi State University representatives met with agricultural clients in Ellisville recently to discuss research and education needs for 2018. More than 115 individuals attended this year's event.

Producers set priorities, discuss issues with MSU

Filed Under: Crops, Commercial Horticulture, Commercial Fruit and Nuts, Beef, Beekeeping, Forestry, Seafood Economics March 3, 2017

BILOXI, Miss. -- Mississippi State University researchers and Extension Service agents heard suggestions from Coastal area agricultural producers and industry leaders about the research and education they need from the university in 2017.

The MSU Coastal Research and Extension Center Producer Advisory Council meeting was held on Feb. 28 in Biloxi. The annual meeting helps the university allocate time and resources to the most important issues facing Mississippi's agricultural producers and related industries.

Shrimp boats at rest in the Biloxi Small Craft Harbor in Biloxi, Mississippi, Jan. 25, 2016. (Photo by MSU Extension Service/Kevin Hudson)

Gulf shrimp have value beyond market prices

Filed Under: Seafood Economics July 7, 2016

BILOXI, Miss. -- Wild-caught shrimp contribute millions of dollars to Mississippi’s economy each year, and experts say better flavor gives them a competitive advantage over imported and pond-raised shrimp.

Dave Burrage, Mississippi State University Extension Service fisheries specialist, said consumers who participate in blind taste tests tend to prefer the taste of wild-caught Gulf shrimp over that of pond-raised, imported products.

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