BILOXI, Mississippi — Mississippi shrimpers reported good catches as the 2016 shrimp season opened in state waters Monday.
Some 255 boats were in the Mississippi Sound before daylight Monday, awaiting the start of the season, according to the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.
"The fishermen that braved the weather reported decent catches of 50-60/60-70 brown shrimp with a good number of 16-20 white shrimp mixed in," said Rick Burris, director of MDMR's Shrimp and Crab Bureau.
"We were unable to perform our routine aerial vessel survey due to the tropical storm that currently is in the Gulf," Burris added. "However, we were able to get out on the wter and estimate about 255 shrimp vessels in the Mississippi Sound, with the majority working south of Deer Island."
More boats could be expected to join the shrimping fleet as the weather improves, Burris said.
