FWC issues order to help Biscayne Bay shrimpers

| Print | E-mail

News Release

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has issued an executive order to extend the food shrimp fishing season in Biscayne Bay by one month.  The FWC is taking this action to help relieve possible economic hardships on the commercial fishing industry that may occur as a result of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The order states that the ending date of the commercial harvest season for food shrimp in the Southeast Region in Miami-Dade County is extended this year from May 31 to June 30.  The order also says that during the extended open season, harvest of food shrimp in this region remains prohibited from 6 a.m. on Saturdays through 6 a.m. on Sundays, per established FWC regulations.

This order, which can be viewed online from MyFWC.com/Oil Spill, takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on May 31 and will expire at 12:01 a.m. on July 1.  Commercial shrimping and other saltwater fishing regulationsare available online at MyFWC.com/Rules; click on "Fishing - Saltwater."