6/30/2005
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Secretary Dwight Landreneau today announced the closure of the 2005 spring shrimp season in Shrimp Management Zone 1 except for that portion of Mississippi Sound from a position along the Mississippi-Louisiana state line at latitude 30 degrees 09 minutes 39.67 seconds N and longitude 89 degrees 30 minutes 00 seconds W southeastward to the US Coast Guard navigational light off the eastern shore of Three-Mile Pass at latitude 30 degrees 03 minutes 12 seconds N and longitude 89 degrees 21 minutes 30 seconds W thence northeastward to a position which intersects the menhaden line as described in the Menhaden Rule (LAC 76:VII, 307D) north of Isle au Pitre at latitude 30 degrees 10 minutes 00 seconds W and all of Zone 3 on Sunday, July 3, at 6 a.m.
The open waters of Breton and Chandeleur Sounds as described in the Menhaden Rule, will also remain open to shrimping until further notice. Zone 1 comprises State inside waters from the Mississippi-Louisiana state line to the eastern shore of South Pass of the Mississippi River and Zone 3 comprises State inside waters from the western shore of Vermilion Bay and Southwest Pass at Marsh Island to the Louisiana-Texas state line.
The closure was based on recommendations made by LDWF Marine Fisheries Division biologists. The relative number, percentage and distribution of small white shrimp immigrating into the areas to be closed has increased substantially in the past week and the region is being closed to protect these developing shrimp. Brian Lezina, Biologist Supervisor of the region, advises shrimpers that boundaries of the area to be extended in Mississippi, Breton and Chandeleur Sounds rely largely on positions located in open water rather than traditional coastal geographic features. Col. Winton Vidrine, Chief of the Enforcement Division, encourages shrimpers to utilize electronic navigational equipment to monitor their positions while operating within the open areas as compliance levels will be closely monitored. In recent years, shrimp season extensions using area boundaries determined largely by open water positions have become more frequently used as a management tool by the Department. Provided no biological or enforcement problems develop, these management concepts may allow for the possible expansion of season extensions in other coastal areas thereby providing the shrimp fishery with added economic opportunities.
Shrimpers are advised that the Department may take emergency action to end the season extension should biological data indicate the need to do so or if enforcement problems develop. Effective 6 a.m. July 3, all inshore waters from the Mississippi-Louisiana state to the Louisiana-Texas state line, except for a portion of Mississippi Sound and the open waters of Breton and Chandeleur Sound are closed to the harvest of shrimp. State territorial waters seaward of the Inside/Outside Shrimp Line, as described in Louisiana R.S. 56:495, will also remain open to shrimping.
For more information, contact Martin Bourgeois at 225-765-2401 mbourgeois@wlf.louisiana.gov.
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