For some Louisiana fishers, the fall shrimping season will stay closed, announced Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Secretary Charlie Melancon on 21 January.
The remaining inside waters of the state as well as some outside waters are privy to the closure, which will go into effect on 25 January. The decision to shutter the season came after LDWF biologists conducted samplings and found white shrimp sizes in certain areas to be far too small, falling below the minimum possession size limit, 100 whole shrimp per pound.
Officials are hopeful that the closure will allow these smaller white shrimp the time to grow to market size range.
Waters involved in the closure include Lake Pontchartrain; Chef Menteur and Rigolets Passes; Lake Borgne; Mississippi Sound; Mississippi River Gulf Outlet; and the outside waters extending three nautical miles inside and outside of the shrimp line from Caillou Boca to Freshwater Bayou Canal.
Meanwhile, waters that will remain open for shrimping are those of Breton and Chandeleur Sounds; waters spanning to the east of Caillou Boca and west of Freshwater Bayou Canal; as well as fishery jurisdiction waters Louisiana has claimed beyond the three nautical mile closure zone.
