Shrimpers
are reminded that the fall inshore shrimp season in all Louisiana
shrimp management zones will close at official sunset on Tuesday,
Dec.19, 2006, except in the open waters of Breton and Chandeleur
Sounds as described by the double-rig line (LA R.S.56:495.1.(A)2),
which shall remain open to shrimping until 6 a.m. March 31,
2007. The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission established
these closing dates at its August 3 meeting.
Zone 1
includes state waters from the Mississippi-Louisiana state
line to the eastern shore of South Pass of the Mississippi
River. Zone 2 includes state waters from the eastern shore
of South Pass of the Mississippi River to the western shore
of Vermilion Bay and Southwest Pass at Marsh Island and Zone
3 extends from the western boundary of Zone 2 to the Louisiana-Texas
state line.
Catastrophic
losses to the shrimp fleet following hurricanes Katrina and
Rita have significantly decreased the number of participating
vessels and fishing trips taken in the Louisiana shrimp fishery.
Despite these reductions in fishing effort, LDWF Marine Fisheries
Division biologists have indicated that 2006 shrimp landings
are well above the average of recent years and may potentially
rival the previous annual record of 93.8 million pounds reported
in 2000. According to preliminary LDWF trip ticket data, Louisiana
shrimp landings through August of this year total approximately
57.4 million pounds (heads-off weight/all species combined).
In comparison, this preliminary total represents an increase
of 15.8 million pounds over the corresponding pre-hurricanes
period of last year.
Biologists
have indicated that high shrimp production in January was
attributed to larger populations of white shrimp over-wintering
in shallow offshore waters. Brown shrimp landings in May and
June were influenced by a series of factors. Several periods
of strong southerly winds and high tides in March and April
created favorable mechanisms for the transport of post-larval
shrimp into the estuaries. A mild winter, low river stages
and rainfall levels resulted in higher than normal water temperatures
and salinities; environmental factors favorable for brown
shrimp development and growth. These same conditions were
also conducive to the rapid growth of over-wintering white
shrimp re-entering inshore waters in early spring. The size
and value of white shrimp landings in May and June were exceptionally
high which suggests the success of management actions designed
to protect these shrimp from harvest as they over-winter during
late winter and early spring in portions of state outside
waters. Likewise, white shrimp landings in August reached
near record levels and were also influenced by the existence
of favorable environmental conditions conducive to high
survival and rapid growth.
