Louisiana Inshore Shrimp Season To Partiall Close June 23

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — State wildlife and fisheries officials say they will close the 2012 spring inshore shrimp season at 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 23.

The closure will affect the Vermilion-Teche, Atchafalaya River and Terrebonne Basins. The closure includes state inside waters from the western shore of Freshwater Bayou Canal eastward to the eastern shore of Bayou Lafourche.

Wildlife officials said Thursday that data collected recently by state biologists indicates increased quantity, distribution and percentage of small, juvenile white shrimp within these waters. The decision to close the area was made in part to protect the developing shrimp and provide opportunity for growth to larger and more marketable sizes.

All remaining state inside waters, as well as all state outside waters seaward of the Inside/Outside shrimp line, will remain open until further notice.