Shrimpers Head Out For Season’s Start

GOLDEN MEADOW, La. (AP) — Shrimpers across south Louisianasay they are ready for the start of the white shrimp season.

About 60 percent of the shrimp harvested in the U.S. comes from the Gulf of Mexico. The total domestic shrimp harvest brought in $518 million in 2011.

The Courier reports the season officially opened up at 6 a.m. Monday on the inside waters of the western shore of the Atchafalaya River. The season east of the river was set to open at 6 p.m.

Federal data indicates that about 26.1 million pounds of shrimp were caught in Louisianabetween January and May.