Portland, ME – The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Northern Shrimp Section approved a 180-day fishing season for the 2009-2010 northern shrimp fishery, the same length of last year’s season. The season was based on favorable stock conditions, with the resource not overfished and not experiencing overfishing, and a recommendation of the Advisory Panel.
“Our efforts to reduce fishing mortality in the early 2000s continue to result in a high abundance of shrimp,” stated Section Chair Pat White from Maine. “We hope the markets open up for this plentiful wild-caught species.”
The 2005 year-class showed good strength in this summer’s annual survey and will be available as a quality product to the fishery this season. The 2006 year-class continues to be very weak and will likely be unavailable in significant numbers as five-year olds for the 2011 season. However, the 2007 and 2008 year- classes exhibited average strength when compared to past years of the survey.
“The Section is pleased that current stock abundance allows us to set another six-month fishing season,” continued Mr. White. “The longer season gives dealers increased flexibility to identify new markets or expand existing ones.”
The 2010 fishing season, which is the same for mobile and trap gear, will be open seven days a week from December 1, 2009, through May 29, 2010.
The Section also elected Douglas Grout of New Hampshire and George D. Lapointe of Maine as its new Chair and Vice-Chair, respectively. The northern shrimp fishery is jointly regulated by Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine through the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Northern Shrimp Section. The cooperative management program has been in place since 1972 and is currently managed under Amendment 1 to the Northern Shrimp Fishery Management Plan. For more information, please contact Braddock Spear, Northern Shrimp Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at (202) 289-6400 or bspear@asmfc.org.