(Appendix A). Given the ."search and capture" nature of the fishing

process, two of the most important "inputs" in the reef fish fishery are

the size of vessels and the crew sizes corresponding to fishing vessels.

Average vessel sizes are heterogeneous across states. Florida vessels

are the smallest, having an average size of 24.7 gross registered tons

in 1976. Vessels originating from Mississippi ports are the largest,

averaging 73 gross registered tons per vessel in the same year (GMFMC,

1979). Crew sizes also exhibit considerable variation across states

ranging from an average of three men per vessel for Florida vessels to

nine men per vessel aboard Mississippi vessels in 1976.

 Very little information is available on costs and revenues of

commercial reef fish vessels in general. Some data, however, have been

accumulated for Florida vessels for the years 1974 and 1975 (Cato and

Prochaska, 1977). While these data cannot be assumed representative of

vessels originating from states other than Florida, they nevertheless

provide some indication as to the magnitude of costs and revenues cor-

responding to reef fishery vessels. During 1974 and 1975, the average

annual total revenue for Florida vessels operating in the reef fish

fishery was estimated to be $56,484. In general, $11,680 of the revenue

went to crew shares with the captain and/or owner receiving an average

of $22,752. The remaining revenue was used for payment of fixed and

variable vessel expenses. During this period average investment per

vessel ranged from $26,526 to $67,267.

 Total commercial landings in the GMRFF have exhibited a fairly

consistent decline from a peak of 24.7 million pounds in 1965 to approxi-

mately 18.3 million pounds in 1972. Since 1972, reef fish landings have

shown no significant trend, fluctuating between 16.7 and 17.7 million