New season set for shrimp but few for trawl

The time for shrimp season has set for this year but the fishermen have few plans for trawling in this season.

Most of the commercial shrimpers will be staying on their jobs instead of fishing this year. But as the fuel costs has risen enormously they find it hard to go out for fishing.
Dan Doerle of New Iberia, who shrimps recreationally, told that recreational fishing has become economically unfeasible. He added that it used to be an outing worth the expense. But it’s getting to the point where people just can’t afford the outing.

According to Doerle several commercial and recreational shrimpers have decided to not trawl this season. He informed that those who do decide to go will burn between 50 to 60 gallons of fuel. And this turnout the lowest catch because of fuel prices. Paul Cook, marine biologist with the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, said the shrimp forecasts for the Vermilion and Atchafalaya bays are poor this year.

Cook informed that a lot of negative influence could be seen from a high river. He also told that lower water temperatures and higher turbidity levels are negatives as far as the shrimp population is concerned. According to him the overwintering numbers of white shrimp are a little lower this year than the region has experienced in recent years, the average size is smaller and the distribution is not as widespread as previously was hoped.

Source: The Daily Iberian"

WorldFishingToday d. 08-05-2008