The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced the Louisiana shrimp season will reopen in a portion of state outside waters seaward of St. Mary, Iberia and Vermilion parishes at 6 a.m. on Monday, May 1.
 
The area extends seaward of the Inside/Outside Shrimp Line out to the three mile line, from the eastern shore of the Atchafalaya River Ship Channel at Eugene Island as delineated by the channel red buoy line to the western shore of Freshwater Bayou Canal at -92 degrees 18 minutes 33 seconds west longitude.
 
Trawl samples taken by LDWF biologists indicate white shrimp in the area have reached marketable sizes, and the closure is no longer necessary.
 
Opening dates for the 2017 spring inshore shrimp season will be considered by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission at their May 4 meeting.
 
For more information, contact Jeff Marx (337) 373-0032 or jmarx@wlf.la.gov.