DMR winter shrimp sampling underway

Published in Landings, February 2015.

Four shrimp trawling vessels were selected by the Department of Marine Resources (DMR) to collect northern shrimp samples in the eastern Maine, mid-coast Maine, western Maine, and Massachusetts/New Hampshire border region beginning in late January. The purpose of the DMR project is to collect northern shrimp samples during the winter period when the shrimp are in inshore waters, to gather data on the timing of the egg hatch, and the size, gender, and developmental stage of the shrimp.

The shrimp vessels are allowed to fish once every two weeks, until the shrimp are no longer carrying eggs, for a total of five research trips in total. The boat captains can land and sell up to 1,800 pounds of northern shrimp per trip.

DMR also contracted with five shrimp trappers to collect shrimp beginning in February. The five trappers will collect samples from up to ten traps once every two weeks until March 20. The catch limit per vessel is 100 pounds and must be kept only for personal use.

TrawlersMark Carroll, Gloucester MAVincent Balzano, Portland.Reggie House, South Bristol.Ricky Trundy, Stonington.

TrappersArnie Gamage, South BristolBill Iliffe, Tenants HarborLee Oxton, VinalhavenJohn Williams, StoningtonFred Backman, Winter Harbor

From the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The northern shrimp fishery was first closed in 1978 due to a stock collapse. Landings ranged from 5.1 to 9.7 million pounds during 1988-1994, and then rose dramatically to 20.1 million pounds in 1996. Landings declined to an average of 4.2 million pounds for 1999 to 2001, and dropped further in the 25-day 2002 season to 992,250 pounds. Landings then increased steadily, averaging 4.6 million pounds during the 2003 to 2006 seasons, then jumping to 10.8 million pounds in 2007 and 11 million pounds in 2008.

The proposed 180-day season for 2010 was cut short to 156 days with 13.5 million pounds landed. The 2011 season also closed early. In 2012, the season was further restricted. The Total Allowable Catch (TAC) was set at 4.9 million pounds. The season was closed on February 17, resulting in a 21-day trawler season and a 17-day trap season. In the 2013 season, only 49% of the total allowable catch was harvested (676,935 pounds of 1.39 million pounds).

In the Gulf of Maine, increasing water temperatures and a decline in phytoplankton abundance are factors which likely have and will continue to contribute to the poor recruitment in the stock.