PORTLAND, Maine (AP) A new analysis of New England’s shrimp population doesn’t bode well for the future of the long-shuttered fishery for the crustaceans.
The Maine-based shrimp fishery has been shut down since 2013 because of concerns such as warming ocean temperatures and poor survival of young. Scientists working with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission are assessing the shrimp stock, and so far it looks like little has changed.
Megan Ware of the fisheries commission says the results “look fairly similar to what we’ve seen in previous years.” That means reopening the fishery any time soon could be a tough sell. Regulators are expected to meet to discuss and vote on the subject this fall.
The shrimp were previously a popular winter seafood item in New England and around the country.
