PORTLAND, Maine — Fishermen are casting their nets as the Gulf of Maine shrimp fishing season kicks off.
Shrimp boats from Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts take to the waters each winter for the sweet northern shrimp, with Maine boats typically accounting for about 90 percent of the catch. This winter’s season began Monday.
The season this year is expected to be a short one, with regulators setting a catch limit of 4.4 million pounds for the upcoming season, down from the 13 million pounds that were last season.
Scientists say the smaller catch is needed because of overfishing and declining shrimp populations. Many shrimp fishermen and processors say there are enough shrimp to justify a bigger catch limit, and that the smaller harvest will have extreme economic consequences.
OK, So how about this?
Have the harvest Later, After the majority have Dropped their Eggs.
While they are still bunched inshore but before they have dispersed?
Timing and zones would be critical but could be monitored by official sample nettings.
This would insure more Bountiful harvests in the future, just as our lobster fishery has done.
Mmmm . . Shrimp!
“Hey George…The ocean called, they’re running out of Shrimp.”
When seafood catch is reduced by law the importation of equivalent catch should be reduced accordingly out of fairness to US Fishermen.
say good bye to shrimping,say good bye my baby,the commerical fishermen are in a fish bowl themselves the goverment is slowly letting the water out on them.