Georgia food shrimp harvest season begins June 1

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) - The food shrimp harvesting season in Georgia begins at 8 a.m. Thursday.

The Savannah Morning News reports (https://bit.ly/2sqtgT8 ) that state waters will open to commercial power-drawn trawls, commercial and recreational cast netters and people using a beach seine. Commercial harvest in state waters is allowed from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Federal waters begin 3 miles (5 kilometers) from shore and are open 24 hours a day.

Coastal Resources Division biologist Lindsey Auburt says the decision to open on June 1 was made after reviewing May survey results, which indicated that the abundance of white shrimp was higher than historical averages for the month of May.

Trawlers brought in an estimated $8.3 million of shrimp last year.

The season typically ends in December or January.

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Information from: Savannah Morning News, https://www.savannahnow.com