Danny Ross, a Ocean Springs shrimper, has been living on a boat since he was able to walk. As a child, he remembers climbing onto the dashboard to view the steering wheel. His dad would tell him to go “Two spokes on the left.” He recalls that he was unable to draw anything in art class back on the ground. He said, “I would draw a pretty good ship too.” “Me and my brothers were always in the boat. Our jungle gym was the rigging and pipes. Our swimming pool? After a disappointing season in which fresh water killed 56 percent of Mississippi’s shrimp, Ross, 55, tied up his boat. Ross has been unable to find crew members due to the plummeting shrimp price so he took over a captain’s boat. He is concerned about the future direction of the industry after following five generations into it. “All these people came here as immigrants and built fishing boats. Ross stated that there is no one left to fill my shoes. Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today Mississippi has seen its shrimp fleet shrink over the past 20 years, in large part due to cheaper imported shrimp. This has forced local fishermen to lower their prices. When adjusted for inflation, Mississippi shrimpers paid an average of $4.69 per pound over the ten-year period 1973-1983, when Ross first entered the trade. From 2007 to 2017, this number had dropped by nearly 60% to less than 2 a pound. This is a huge difference for a full-time shrimper. It can cost you thousands each year. The increasing frequency of natural catastrophes adds to the frustration. Many of the boats on the Gulf Coast’s fleet were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Ross was also affected. Three years later, Hurricanes Gustav, Ike and Ike struck, causing more than $10 million of damage to the industry. Since then, several Bonnet Carre spillway openings have repeatedly shook the Mississippi Sound, causing severe water quality problems that caused species to die or escape the coast. These are not including the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spillage. Traditionally, shrimpers caught oysters in winter. But after the Deepwater Horizon oil spillage in 2010, Mississippi’s oyster reefs were still struggling to produce. “We’re like ballerinas,” Ross said. Ross said, “We’re like ballerinas.” The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had opened the spillway last year for a record length. The state’s seafood industry suffered from the subsequent flood of Mississippi River water into Mississippi Sound. This resulted in a 56 percent increase in shrimp mortality. Many believe that the river flooding that leads to the spillway opening is likely to increase as climate trends continue to make it more frequent. This was after the 12th wettest year in American history. Even though shrimpers have seen the shrimp’s value decline over the years, they said that 2019 was the best year yet. “You could have dredged all of the Sound at once, but you wouldn’t be able to catch enough shrimp to make a good po’boy,” Wayne Tillman, a Vancleave shrimper aged 71, said. Tillman, who was 14 when he started fishing, said that he earned $25,000 less than in 2018. Like Ross, Tillman and others in the business carry the torch of a long history in commercial fishing in their families. Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today Chad Stork (45), of Lucedale said, “I think it’s in our blood.” Stork, who is fifth-generation fisherman said that he started fishing when he was only 5. “I don’t know how your family has done it. His daddy, my daddy, has been doing it his whole life. It’s a profitable business. Larger boats can bring in more than a million dollars each season. To make a profit fishermen must account for the cost of fuel, maintenance and staff. The Mississippi season lasts approximately six months and starts in spring. Mike Nguyen (26-year-old shrimper from Biloxi) said that he makes enough money in the season to “sit in my stomach” for the remainder of the year. He works on a smaller boat alongside his father. These are the benefits of the business, but also the dangers. Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today Nguyen stated that you have to be quite crazy to do the job. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data commercial fishing is 22 times more fatal than the average job. Between 2010 and 2014, 25 Gulf shrimpers died in the fishing industry. Many shrimpers work 24-hour shifts on moving platforms and with dangerous equipment. Andy Kane, University of Florida occupational healthcare researcher, stated that most deaths are caused by falling overboard or getting caught in a winch. This device is used to pull shrimp nets. Kane said, “The winch” is the true beast. “If you are pinched, it will pull at your skin, hair, clothing. It’s only a miracle that you can get out. People lose limbs, digits, and sometimes they are thrown overboard with parts missing.” Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today Ross doesn’t understand how his product can be so inexpensive considering the risks he takes. He said that he usually gets around $2 per pound from processors for jumbo shrimp. This is the most expensive. Ross stated, “That’s supposed be a top of-the-line luxury.” Do you think that it will be a low-cost meal? I don’t believe people can even comprehend what they are actually eating when they order a seafood platter. It is not possible to just grow the shrimp in your backyard and then pick it. In order to import pond-raised shrimp from Ecuador and Southeast Asia, you have to be in a very dangerous place.” Due to lower labor and property costs and favorable currency exchanges, overseas shrimp became more lucrative for American distributors. American shrimp consumption has increased to 94% from imports. Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today David Veal, director at the American Shrimp Processors Association, stated that the industry has been losing money for over 20 years. “It doesn’t matter at what level you want, whether it’s the fisherman or the processors, it’s a difficult market to be in today.” Veal said that imported shrimp is like getting a “good tough lick in the face” while imported shrimp is like walking on a stick. One state official said that the declining value of American shrimp has been exacerbated due to rising costs. “The shrimp industry has many components that are working against it, and clearly cheap imported shrimp are at the top. They also have to address fuel, ice and infrastructure,” Joe Jewell, Mississippi Department of Marine Resources director of marine fisheries, said. Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today Jewell said that there have been fewer docks and processing plants since Katrina and that insurance rates for waterside properties have risen. He stated that he knows that isolated events such as hurricanes and the Bonnet Carre spillway opening, as well as man-made events such the BP oil leak, have dramatic long-term effects on the seafood industry. “But I can confidently say that the long-term trend of climate change is certainly having an effect on marine resources in all coastal states in our country.” Many shrimpers admit they don’t see a future in the industry. Tillman stated that he had told his children to stay away from the business if they got involved. “I said stay away from that.” Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today Seventy-four-year-old Billy Stork, Chad’s father, retired 12 years ago, but said he still needs to fish to supplement his Social Security. Stork, who began fishing when he was 12 years old, said that his year-to-2018 earnings fell by about 50% in 2019. Stork said, “I believe this hurt worse than any other thing, the freshwater,” comparing the spillway openings with past disasters. “If I were a young man I would get out of the business.” Shrimpers have generally followed that advice over the past 20 years. According to the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, resident commercial shrimping licenses fell 63 percent between 1998 and 2019. The state also counts the number shrimp boats at the start of each season. In the same period, the opening day count fell 87 percent from 1000 to 133. Young and old shrimpers find the appeal of working outside, in their own time, without any corporate structure, while still keeping a tradition alive, appealing even as they face the downward trend. Nguyen stated, “I made more money sitting in an office.” It’s not about the money. It’s more about a lifestyle. It’s a lifestyle I love. You have your freedom.” Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today Ross said the same thing as Nguyen: “I can recall going to the 10-year class reunion and being the only person who loved their job.” Ross is proud to be one of few Mississippi shrimpers left. He said, “I’ve heard it all my life: ‘Get out there Danny, it’s never going back to the same.'” How does Forrest Gump put it? “Shrimping’s tough” is what Forrest Gump says. Click below to see the rest of the series. Part 3: “Soybeans of the sea”: Mississippi fights against economic and environmental currents to recover oyster esteem
These numbers don’t even include the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil disaster. Traditionally, shrimpers caught oysters in winter. But after the Deepwater Horizon oil spillage in 2010, Mississippi’s oyster reefs were still struggling to produce. “We’re like ballerinas,” Ross said. Ross said, “We’re like ballerinas.” The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had opened the spillway last year for a record length. The state’s seafood industry suffered from the subsequent flood of Mississippi River water into Mississippi Sound. This resulted in a 56 percent increase in shrimp mortality. Many believe that the spillway openings will become more frequent due to climate trends, as the United States has had its wettest 12 months on record. Even though shrimpers have seen the shrimp’s value decline over the years, they said that 2019 was the best year yet. “You could have dredged all of the Sound at once, but you wouldn’t be able to catch enough shrimp to make a good po’boy,” Wayne Tillman, a Vancleave shrimper aged 71, said. Tillman, who was 14 when he started fishing, said that he earned $25,000 less than in 2018. Like Ross, Tillman and others in the business carry the torch of a long history in commercial fishing in their families. Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today Chad Stork (45), of Lucedale said, “I think it’s in our blood.” Stork, who is fifth-generation fisherman said that he started fishing when he was only 5. “I don’t know how your family has done it. His daddy, my daddy, has been doing it his whole life. It’s a profitable business. Larger boats can bring in more than a million dollars per season. To make a profit fishermen must account for the cost of fuel, maintenance and staff. The Mississippi season lasts approximately six months and starts in spring. Mike Nguyen (26-year-old shrimper from Biloxi) said that he makes enough money in the season to “sit in my stomach” for the remainder of the year. He works on a smaller boat alongside his father. These are the benefits of the business, but also the dangers. Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today Nguyen stated that you have to be quite crazy to do the job. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data commercial fishing is 22 times more fatal than the average job. Between 2010 and 2014, 25 Gulf shrimpers died in the fishing industry. Many shrimpers work 24-hour shifts on moving platforms and with dangerous equipment. Andy Kane, University of Florida occupational healthcare researcher, stated that most deaths are caused by falling overboard or getting caught in a winch. This device is used to pull shrimp nets. Kane said, “The winch” is the true beast. “If you are pinched, your skin and hair, as well as your clothing, will be pulled into it. It’s only by the grace of God that you can get out. People lose digits and limbs. Sometimes they are thrown overboard with parts missing. Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today Ross doesn’t know how his product can be so inexpensive considering the risks he takes. He said that jumbo shrimp is the most expensive and usually sells for around $2 per pound. Ross stated, “That’s supposed be a top of-the-line luxury.” Do you think that it will be a low-cost meal? I don’t believe people can even comprehend what they are actually eating when they order a seafood platter. It is not possible to just grow the shrimp in your backyard and then pick it. In order to import pond-raised shrimp from Ecuador and Southeast Asia, you have to be in a very dangerous place.” Due to lower labor and property costs and favorable currency exchanges, overseas shrimp became more lucrative for American distributors. American shrimp consumption has increased to 94% from imports. Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today David Veal, director at the American Shrimp Processors Association, stated that the industry has been losing money for over 20 years. “It doesn’t matter at what level you want, whether it’s the fisherman or the processors, it’s a difficult market to be in today.” Veal said that imported shrimp is like getting a “good tough lick in the face” while imported shrimp is like walking on a stick. One state official said that the declining value of American shrimp has been exacerbated due to rising costs. “The shrimp industry has many components that are working against it, and clearly cheap imported shrimp are at the top. They also have to address fuel, infrastructure, and ice,” Joe Jewell, Mississippi Department of Marine Resources director of marine fisheries, said. Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today Jewell said that there have been fewer docks and processing plants since Katrina and that insurance rates for waterside properties have risen. He stated that he knows that isolated events such as hurricanes and the Bonnet Carre spillway opening, and man-made events such as the BP oil leak, have had a dramatic impact on the seafood industry’s long-term health. “But I can confidently say that the long-term trend of climate change is certainly having an effect on marine resources in all coastal states in our country.” Many shrimpers admit they don’t see a future in the industry. Tillman stated that he had told his children to stay away from the business if they got involved. “I said stay away from that.” Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today Seventy-four-year-old Billy Stork, Chad’s father, retired 12 years ago, but said he still needs to fish to supplement his Social Security. Stork, who began fishing when he was 12 years old, said that his year-to-2018 earnings fell by about 50% in 2019. Stork said, “I believe this hurt worse than any other thing, the freshwater,” comparing the spillway openings with past disasters. “If I were a young man I would get out of the business.” Shrimpers have generally followed that advice over the past 20 years. According to the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, resident commercial shrimping licenses fell 63 percent between 1998 and 2019. The state also counts the number shrimp boats at the start of each season. In the same period, the opening day count fell 87 percent from 1000 to 133. Young and old shrimpers find the appeal of working outside, in their own time, without any corporate structure, while still keeping a tradition alive, appealing even as they face the downward trend. Nguyen stated, “I made more money sitting in an office.” It’s not about the money. It’s more about a lifestyle. It’s a lifestyle I love. You have your freedom.” Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today Ross said the same thing as Nguyen: “I can recall going to the 10-year class reunion and being the only person who loved their job. Ross is proud to be one of few Mississippi shrimpers left. He said, “I’ve heard it all my life: ‘Get out there Danny, it’s never going back to the same.'” How does Forrest Gump put it? “Shrimping’s hard.” Click below to see the rest of the series. Part 3: “Soybeans of the sea”: Mississippi fights against economic and environmental currents to regain oyster esteem. Any amount will help us continue producing high-quality journalism for Mississippi. Mississippi Today Nonprofit Mississippi News The series is part the Pulitzer Center’s Connected Coastlines Reporting Initiative. For more information, go to pulitzercenter.org/connected-coastlines. This is the second part of a three-part story. BILOXI: Danny Ross, an Ocean Springs shrimper has been living on a boat since he was able to walk. As a child, he remembers climbing onto the dashboard to view the steering wheel. His dad would tell him to go “Two spokes on the left.” He recalls that he was unable to draw anything in art class back on the ground. He said, “I would draw a pretty good ship too.” “Me and my brothers were always in the boat. Our jungle gym was the rigging and pipes. Our swimming pool? After a disappointing season in which fresh water killed 56 percent of Mississippi’s shrimp, Ross, 55, tied up his boat. Ross has been unable to find crew members due to the plummeting shrimp price so he took over a captain’s boat. He is concerned about the future direction of the industry after following five generations into it. “All these people came here as immigrants and built fishing boats. Ross stated that there is no one left to fill my shoes. Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today Mississippi has seen its shrimp fleet shrink over the past 20 years, in large part due to cheaper imported shrimp. This has forced local fishermen to lower their prices. When adjusted for inflation, Mississippi shrimpers paid an average of $4.69 per pound over the ten-year period 1973-1983, when Ross first entered the trade. From 2007 to 2017, this number had dropped by nearly 60% to less than 2 a pound. This is a huge difference for a full-time shrimper. It can cost you thousands each year. The increasing frequency of natural catastrophes adds to the frustration. Many of the boats on the Gulf Coast’s fleet were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Ross was also affected. Three years later, Hurricanes Gustav, Ike and Ike struck, causing more than $10 million of damage to the industry. Since then, several Bonnet Carre spillway openings have repeatedly shook the Mississippi Sound, causing severe water quality problems that caused species to die or escape the coast. These are not including the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spillage. Traditionally, shrimpers caught oysters in winter. But after the Deepwater Horizon oil spillage in 2010, Mississippi’s oyster reefs were still struggling to produce. “We’re like ballerinas,” Ross said. Ross said, “We’re like ballerinas.” The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had opened the spillway last year for a record length. The state’s seafood industry suffered from the subsequent flood of Mississippi River water into Mississippi Sound. This resulted in a 56 percent increase in shrimp mortality. Many believe that the river flooding that leads to the spillway opening is likely to increase as climate trends continue to make it more frequent. This was after the 12th wettest year in American history. Even though shrimpers have seen the shrimp’s value decline over the years, they said that 2019 was the best year yet. “You could have dredged all of the Sound at once, but you wouldn’t be able to catch enough shrimp to make a good po’boy,” Wayne Tillman, a Vancleave shrimper aged 71, said. Tillman, who was 14 when he started fishing, said that he earned $25,000 less than in 2018. Like Ross, Tillman and others in the business carry the torch of a long history in commercial fishing in their families. Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today Chad Stork (45), of Lucedale said, “I think it’s in our blood.” Stork, who is fifth-generation fisherman said that he started fishing when he was only 5. “I don’t know how your family has done it. His daddy, my daddy, has been doing it his whole life. It’s a profitable business. Larger boats can bring in more than a million dollars in shrimp each season. To make a profit fishermen must account for the cost of fuel, maintenance and staff. The Mississippi season lasts approximately six months and starts in spring. Mike Nguyen (26-year-old shrimper from Biloxi) said that he makes enough money in the season to “sit in my stomach” for the remainder of the year. He works on a smaller boat alongside his father. These are the benefits of the business, but also the dangers. Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today Nguyen stated that you have to be quite crazy to do the job. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data commercial fishing is 22 times more fatal than the average job. Between 2010 and 2014, 25 Gulf shrimpers died in the fishing industry. Many shrimpers work 24-hour shifts on moving platforms and with dangerous equipment. Andy Kane, University of Florida occupational healthcare researcher, stated that most deaths are caused by falling overboard or getting caught in a winch. This device is used to pull shrimp nets. Kane said, “The winch” is the true beast. “If you are pinched, your skin and hair, as well as your clothing, will be pulled into it. It’s only by the grace of God that you can get out. People lose limbs, digits, and sometimes they are thrown overboard with parts missing.” Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today Ross doesn’t understand how his product can be so inexpensive considering the risks he takes. He said that jumbo shrimp is the most expensive and usually sells for around $2 per pound. Ross stated, “That’s supposed be a top of-the-line luxury.” Do you think that it will be a low-cost meal? I don’t believe people can even comprehend what they are actually eating when they order a seafood platter. It is not possible to just grow the shrimp in your backyard and then pick it. In order to import pond-raised shrimp from Ecuador and Southeast Asia, you have to be in a very dangerous place.” Due to lower labor and property costs, as well as favorable currency exchanges, overseas shrimp became more lucrative for American distributors. American shrimp consumption has increased to 94% from imports. Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today David Veal, director at the American Shrimp Processors Association, stated that the industry has been losing money for over 20 years. “It doesn’t matter at what level you want, whether it’s the fisherman or the processors, it’s a difficult market to be in today.” Veal said that imported shrimp is like getting a “good tough lick in the face” while imported shrimp is like walking on a stick. One state official said that the declining value of American shrimp has been exacerbated due to rising costs. “The shrimp industry has many components that are working against it, and clearly cheap imported shrimp are at the top. They also have to address fuel, ice and infrastructure,” Joe Jewell, Mississippi Department of Marine Resources director of marine fisheries, said. Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today Jewell said that there have been fewer docks and processing plants since Katrina and that insurance rates for waterside properties have risen. He stated that he knows that isolated events such as hurricanes and the Bonnet Carre spillway opening, as well as man-made events such the BP oil leak, have dramatic long-term effects on the seafood industry. “But I can confidently say that the long-term trend of climate change is certainly having an effect on marine resources in all coastal states in our country.” Many shrimpers admit they don’t see a future in the industry. Tillman stated that he had told his children to stay away from the business if they got involved. “I said stay away from that.” Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today Seventy-four-year-old Billy Stork, Chad’s father, retired 12 years ago, but said he still needs to fish to supplement his Social Security. Stork, who began fishing to make money when he was a teenager.
When he was 12 years old, he said that his year-to-2018 earnings had dropped by about 50% in 2019. Stork said, “I believe this hurt worse than any other thing, the fresh water.” He compared the spillway openings with past disasters. “If I were a young man I would get out of the business.” Shrimpers have generally followed that advice over the past 20 years. According to the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, resident commercial shrimping licenses fell 63 percent between 1998 and 2019. The state also counts the number shrimp boats at the start of each season. In the same period, the opening day count fell 87 percent from 1000 to 133. Young and old shrimpers find the appeal of working outside, in their own time, without any corporate structure, while still keeping a tradition alive, appealing even as they face the downward trend. Nguyen stated, “I made more money sitting in an office.” It’s not about the money. It’s more about a lifestyle. It’s a lifestyle I love. You have your freedom. Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today Ross said the same thing as Nguyen: “I can remember going to my 10 year reunion and being the only person who loved their job.” Ross is proud to be one of few Mississippi shrimpers left. He said, “I’ve heard it all my life: ‘Get out there Danny, it’s never going back to the same.'” How does Forrest Gump put it? “Shrimping’s tough” is what Forrest Gump says. Click below to see the rest of the series. Part 3: “Soybeans of the sea”: Mississippi fights against economic and environmental currents to recover oyster esteem