Commercial Fishing Industry
Mississippi Commercial Fishing
Commercial fishing corresponds to finfish and shellfish fishing in the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS). Finfish fishing comprises establishments primarily engaged in the commercial catching or taking finfish (e.g., menhaden, redfish, snapper, seatrout, flounder, mullet, and sheepshead) from their natural habitat. Shellfish fishing comprises establishments primarily engaged in the commercial catching or taking shellfish (e.g., blue crab, oyster, shrimp) from their natural habitat.
The annual Mississippi commercial landings of all species combined (in pounds) and landing values (in dollars) since 2014 are shown in the chart below. Recent natural disasters and economic events (e.g., the global pandemic) adversely affected annual commercial landings and dockside values. Annual commercial landings averaged 287 million pounds during the last seven years, valued at 42 million dollars.
The opening of the Bonnet Carre spillway in 2019 did not significantly impact the total commercial landings of all species combined. The global pandemic reduced Mississippi commercial landings in 2020 but remained above the benchmark average from 2014-18. By 2021, direct losses were observed, amounting to -26.1 percent of total landings and -15.0 percent of total dockside values.
The average labor productivity of commercial fishing was measured by dividing the annual commercial landings and dockside values by yearly employment. The employment data consisted of all workers and owners of the commercial fishing units in Mississippi estimated by the Economic Modeling Specialists (EMSI, 2022). The average fishing productivity during the past seven years amounted to 246,000 pounds per fisherman, valued at 36,000 dollars per fisherman.
Output or sales is the gross sales by businesses within the economic region affected by an activity. Total economic impacts are the sum of direct, indirect, and induced impacts. The economic impacts of Mississippi commercial fishing are shown below. The annual sales impacts of the commercial fishery averaged $68.5 million during the past six years. This amount represents about 0.49% of the overall economic impacts of the commercial fishing industry in the U.S.
Employment or job impacts are expressed in terms of a mix of both full-time and part-time jobs. Total economic impacts are the sum of direct, indirect, and induced contributions. The industry created more than 1,150 full-time and part-time jobs per year in the same period. These job impacts represent about 0.69% of the overall economic impacts of commercial fishing in the U.S.
Publications
News
RAYMOND, Miss. -- For Mississippi’s commercial fishermen, stress is part of daily life, but the typical stressors they face have been intensifying for more than 10 years.
Environmental disasters, global markets, strict fishing regulations and the increasing average age of working fishers is bearing down on the industry, threatening its long-term viability.
All of these factors have Ryan Bradley concerned for the future of the Mississippi fishing industry. So, he is taking action to help fishers stay in the industry and draw young people to the business.
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.
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.
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.
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.
