Shrimp
Harvest Areas
Louisiana’s state waters are divided into inside and outside waters. The “inside/
outside line” separates these waters. It generally follows the coastline from
the Louisiana/Texas state line to the Louisiana/Mississippi state line. Waters
landward of the inside/outside line are inside or inshore waters; waters seaward
of the inside/outside line out to three nautical miles are outside waters or the
territorial seas. Inside waters are further divided by major estuarine basin. The
Commission may amend the shrimp line due to environmental changes. See the
latest coordinates at
wlf.louisiana.gov/fishing/insideoutside-shrimp-line.
The Louisiana Legislature, the Commission, and LDWF are responsible for
managing the shrimp fishery in inshore waters and the territorial seas. The Gulf
Council and NOAA Fisheries are responsible for federal waters.
Seasons
You may only harvest shrimp during open shrimp seasons (unless you’re
permitted to harvest live bait under a Special Bait Dealer Permit). The
Commission sets shrimp seasons for Louisiana’s state waters by area, according to
scientific information about environmental and water conditions and the growth
rates, distribution, and abundance of shrimp. They also consider input from the
industry and other stakeholders. In general, shrimp seasons by area are:
• Inside: open when enough market-sized shrimp are available in these waters
for harvest. The spring/brown shrimp season generally runs May to July. The
fall/white shrimp season is generally open
mid-August to mid-December; some waters stay
open into January.
• Outside: year-round, except
from mid or late
December to April or May in certain areas to
protect small white shrimp and allow them
to grow to market size. The Commission can
close these waters at other times of the year if
necessary.
•
Federal waters off Louisiana: year-round
Go to
wlf.louisiana.gov/fishing/shrimp-seasons
for the most up to date information on Louisiana’s
shrimp seasons.
Size/Possession Limits
There is no size limit for any shrimp harvested during the spring open season nor
for brown or seabob shrimp harvested during any open season.
White shrimp is legal size when a pound of white shrimp equals 100 whole
shrimp or less. You may not harvest sub-legal white shrimp, except from October
15 through the 3rd Monday in December. Also, when more than half of your catch
is seabob or brown shrimp, no more than 10% (by weight) of your catch may be
sub-legal size white shrimp.
Contact: Jeff Marx, 337.373.0032, jmarx@wlf.la.gov
Additional Licenses and Permits
In addition to the applicable licenses and permits listed on pages 7-9, you must have the following permits to participate in the following activities.
If you:
You must have a/an:
Fees and notes:
Harvest shrimp in federal waters
Federal shrimp permit issued by
NOAA Fisheries
There is a moratorium on these permits; you may only apply for one if an original
permit is transferred to you. View the current list of transferable permits at
go.usa.
gov/3FcW5. Contact NOAA Fisheries at
877.376.4877 for more information.
Commercially harvest shrimp for live
bait
Special Bait Dealer Permit
$110; see page 13 for additional details.
Use or possess shrimp trawls, butterfly
nets, skimmer nets, or cast nets
Commercial Gear License for each
piece of gear
$25 resident, $100 nonresident. You must have a license for each piece of gear. You
must also pay an annual gear fee ($10 resident, $40 nonresident).
5,600
Approximate
number of licensed
shrimpers in
Louisiana.
12
79
Harvest Areas
Louisiana’s state waters are divided into inside and outside waters. The “inside/
outside line” separates these waters. It generally follows the coastline from
the Louisiana/Texas state line to the Louisiana/Mississippi state line. Waters
landward of the inside/outside line are inside or inshore waters; waters seaward
of the inside/outside line out to three nautical miles are outside waters or the
territorial seas. Inside waters are further divided by major estuarine basin. The
Commission may amend the shrimp line due to environmental changes. See the
latest coordinates at
wlf.louisiana.gov/fishing/insideoutside-shrimp-line.
The Louisiana Legislature, the Commission, and LDWF are responsible for
managing the shrimp fishery in inshore waters and the territorial seas. The Gulf
Council and NOAA Fisheries are responsible for federal waters.
Seasons
You may only harvest shrimp during open shrimp seasons (unless you’re
permitted to harvest live bait under a Special Bait Dealer Permit). The
Commission sets shrimp seasons for Louisiana’s state waters by area, according to
scientific information about environmental and water conditions and the growth
rates, distribution, and abundance of shrimp. They also consider input from the
industry and other stakeholders. In general, shrimp seasons by area are:
• Inside: open when enough market-sized shrimp are available in these waters
for harvest. The spring/brown shrimp season generally runs May to July. The
fall/white shrimp season is generally open
mid-August to mid-December; some waters stay
open into January.
• Outside: year-round, except
from mid or late
December to April or May in certain areas to
protect small white shrimp and allow them
to grow to market size. The Commission can
close these waters at other times of the year if
necessary.
•
Federal waters off Louisiana: year-round
Go to
wlf.louisiana.gov/fishing/shrimp-seasons
for the most up to date information on Louisiana’s
shrimp seasons.
Size/Possession Limits
There is no size limit for any shrimp harvested during the spring open season nor
for brown or seabob shrimp harvested during any open season.
White shrimp is legal size when a pound of white shrimp equals 100 whole
shrimp or less. You may not harvest sub-legal white shrimp, except from October
15 through the 3rd Monday in December. Also, when more than half of your catch
is seabob or brown shrimp, no more than 10% (by weight) of your catch may be
sub-legal size white shrimp.
Contact: Jeff Marx, 337.373.0032, jmarx@wlf.la.gov
Additional Licenses and Permits
In addition to the applicable licenses and permits listed on pages 7-9, you must have the following permits to participate in the following activities.
If you:
You must have a/an:
Fees and notes:
Harvest shrimp in federal waters
Federal shrimp permit issued by
NOAA Fisheries
There is a moratorium on these permits; you may only apply for one if an original
permit is transferred to you. View the current list of transferable permits at
go.usa.
gov/3FcW5. Contact NOAA Fisheries at
877.376.4877 for more information.
Commercially harvest shrimp for live
bait
Special Bait Dealer Permit
$110; see page 13 for additional details.
Use or possess shrimp trawls, butterfly
nets, skimmer nets, or cast nets
Commercial Gear License for each
piece of gear
$25 resident, $100 nonresident. You must have a license for each piece of gear. You
must also pay an annual gear fee ($10 resident, $40 nonresident).
5,600
Approximate
number of licensed
shrimpers in
Louisiana.
12
79