Today, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced the fall shrimp season will close in a portion of state inside waters effective Friday, January 20, 2017, at official sunset.
Those waters that will close to shrimping include:
- Lake Pontchartrain, Chef Menteur and Rigolets Passes, Lake Borgne, Mississippi Sound, Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO), a section of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) in Orleans parish from the GIWW East Closure Sector Gate westward to the GIWW intersection with the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal
The following state waters will remain open to shrimping until further notice:
- The open waters of Breton and Chandeleur Sounds as bounded by the double-rig line described in R.S. 56:495.1(A)2.
- State outside waters not currently closed.
For a map detailing today’s actions click here.
Existing data do not currently support shrimping closures in additional state inside or outside waters. However, the department will continue monitoring shrimp populations in these waters and will close additional waters if necessary.
Regulations state that the possession count on saltwater, white shrimp should average no more than 100 (whole shrimp) per pound, with the exception of October 15 through the third Monday in December, when there is no minimum count size. Recent sampling conducted by the LDWF biologists indicates the average white shrimp size in the waters to be closed is smaller than the minimum possession size limit.
The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission provided the LDWF Secretary with authority to close the fall inshore shrimp season when biological and technical data indicate the need. This action, which characteristically takes place at this time of year, is designed to protect small, white shrimp and provide opportunity for these populations to over-winter and grow to larger, more marketable sizes.
For more information, contact Jeff Marx at (337) 373-0032 or jmarx@wlf.la.gov .