The Louisiana Department
of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) will close the fall inshore
shrimp season in Shrimp Management Zone 1 at official sunset
Jan. 23, 2009 except for the open waters of Breton and Chandeleur
Sounds as described by the double-rig line (LA R.S.56:495.1.(A)2),
which will remain open until 6 a.m., March 31, 2009.
The fall shrimp
season in inside waters was originally scheduled to close
on Dec. 16, 2008 but was extended in that portion of Zone
1 north of the south shore of the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet,
including Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Borgne and Mississippi
Sound due to the presence of significant quantities of marketable
size shrimp.
This shrimp season
extension will have numbered an additional 38 days and has
provided shrimpers with additional economic opportunities
without adverse impacts to the shrimp resource. However, current
biological data indicate that remaining white shrimp populations
in these waters are averaging smaller than the minimum possession
limit of 100 count per pound taken or possessed onboard a
vessel and the season is being closed to provide these shrimp
with opportunity to grow to larger and more valuable sizes.
The opening dates
of the spring inshore shrimp season will be considered by
the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission at its May
7 meeting to be held at LDWF headquarters.
