The opening
dates of the 2008 Louisiana spring shrimp season were announced
at the May 1 meeting of the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries
Commission. The declaration of emergency, which established
the season opening dates, followed a presentation of the latest
biological and hydrological data compiled by the Louisiana
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Marine Fisheries Division
and public comment from shrimpers, members of the shrimp industry
and other concerned citizens.
The Louisiana inshore
shrimp season in Shrimp Management Zone 1 will open at 12
noon on June 2. Zone 2 as well as that portion of the State’s
Outside Waters south of the Inside/Outside Shrimp Line as
described in R.S. 56:495 from the Atchafalaya River Ship Channel
at Eugene Island as delineated by the River Channel Buoy Line
to the eastern shore of Freshwater Bayou at 92 degrees 18
minutes 33 seconds west longitude will open at 12 noon on
May 12. Zone 3 will also open at 12 noon on June 2. With this
action, all state outside waters will be opened to shrimping.
Zone 1 includes
state waters from the Mississippi/Louisiana state line to
the eastern shore of South Pass of the Mississippi River including
Breton and Chandeleur Sounds. Zone 2 comprises that portion
of Louisiana's inside 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. Zone 3 includes state
waters from the western shore of Vermilion Bay and Southwest
Pass at Marsh Island to the Louisiana/Texas state line.
LDWF Secretary
Robert Barham was given authority to close the season when
biological and technical data indicate that significant numbers
of small white shrimp have recruited into inshore waters or
if law enforcement problems develop.
Development of
LDWF management recommendations for spring inshore opening
dates utilize criteria which project the date when a minimum
of 50 percent of the inshore brown shrimp population sampled
reach sizes of 100 count (per pound) or larger. Last year,
Louisiana shrimp landings totaled 110.1 million pounds (all
species combined/heads-on weight) and were valued at $138.9
million dockside.
