Throwback Thursday: When Shrimp Was King!

Throwback Thursday: Port Isabel’s close proximity to the Gulf of Mexico meant that vessels had quick access to the gulf waters and abundant shrimp. By 1958 Port Isabel had 10 processing plants and 173 shrimp boats operated from local docks and was known as the Shrimping Capital of the World! A 1968 article titled, “They Farm the Sea”, boasted that Port Isabel had the largest tonnage of shrimp in the United States with an annual harvest of 20 million pounds. In 1967 the industry was valued over $100 million, exceeding tuna and salmon. Restaurants proclaimed, “The shrimp you eat here slept in the Gulf of Mexico last night”.