Today, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced the 2015 spring inshore shrimp season will close at 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 2, in the remainder of state inside waters except for the open waters of Breton and Chandeleur Sounds.
This action closes shrimping in inside waters within the Mermentau, Calcasieu and Sabine Rivers Basins extending from the western shore of Freshwater Bayou Canal westward to the Louisiana/Texas state line. It also closes those inside waters in Eastern Louisiana currently open, including Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Borgne and a portion of the Mississippi Sound located in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin. This action also closes those portions of Barataria Bay, Terrebonne Bay and Lake Pelto that remained open on June 19.
Effective with this closure all state inside waters will be closed to shrimping except for the open waters of Breton and Chandeleur Sounds as described by the double–rig line in R.S. 56:495.1(A)2. All state outside waters seaward of the Inside/Outside shrimp line will remain open to shrimp harvesting until further notice.
Data collected in recent weeks by LDWF biologists indicate increased quantity, distribution and percentage of small, juvenile white shrimp within these waters. The decision to close these waters was made to protect these developing shrimp and provide opportunity for growth to larger and more marketable sizes.
For more information visit http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/fishing/shrimp-seasons
The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission will meet August 6 to consider opening dates for the fall inshore shrimp season. At the July 2 meeting of the Commission, they will consider action to authorize LDWF Secretary Robert Barham to open the fall white shrimp season if needed prior to the August 6 Commission meeting.
The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana's abundant natural resources. For more information, visit us at www.wlf.louisiana.gov, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ldwffb, or follow us on Twitter @LDWF.
For more information, contact Jeff Marx at 337 -373-0032 or jmarx@wlf.la.gov. For press inquiries, contact Ashley Roth at 504-286-4162 or aroth@wlf.la.gov