Brown shrimp season officially began in some inland waters Monday (May 26), a late start caused by an unusually cold winter. But while shrimp boats will have less time on the water this year, commercial fishermen like Victor Thonn of Slidell see the high price of shrimp as a cause for optimism.

"Buyers have been howling about the price of shrimp these last couple years," Thonn, 73, said. "But that's only a good thing for guys like me."

Thonn said the high prices remind him of 20 years ago, before the introduction of farm-raised shrimp from Asia drove down the prices of U.S. shrimp, forcing many shrimpers out of business.

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