Shrimping in Portions of the Pontchartrain Basin to Close Saturday

Today, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced the 2012 spring inshore shrimp season will close at 6 a.m. on Saturday, July 14 in the remainder of state inside waters east of the Mississippi River except for the open waters of Breton and Chandeleur Sounds as described by the double-rig line.

Effective with this closure, all state inside waters are closed to shrimping except for the open waters of Breton and Chandeleur Sounds. All state outside waters also remain open to shrimping; however, certain areas are still closed to commercial fishing and certain recreational fishing activities due to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Maps of the areas that remain closed to recreational and commercial fishing are posted to the LDWF website at www.wlf.louisiana.gov/oilspill.

Data collected in recent weeks by LDWF biologists indicates increased quantity, distribution and percentage of small, juvenile white shrimp within these waters. The decision to close these areas was made in an effort to protect these developing shrimp and provide opportunity for growth to larger and more marketable sizes.

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 Martin Bourgeois at (985) 594-4130 or mbourgeois@wlf.la.gov. For press inquiries, contact Ashley Wethey at (225) 765-2396 or awethey@wlf.la.gov.