The rocky history of Toledo Bend Reservoir’s construction has been largely forgotten in the last 40 years of incredible fishing. However, the lake’s inception was a herculean effort that “took a miracle.”
The fall inshore shrimp season will open in Shrimp Management Zones 1, 2 and 3 at 6 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 10, 2009.
The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission approved the season dates at its Aug. 6 meeting based upon recommendations presented by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ (LDWF) Office of Fisheries biological staff and public comment.
The closing date set by the commission for these waters is official sunset Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2009 except for the open waters of Breton and Chandeleur Sounds as described by the double-rig line (LA R.S.56:495.1(A)2), which will remain open to shrimping until 6 a.m., March 31, 2010.
Zone 1 includes Louisiana waters from the Mississippi-Louisiana state line to the eastern shore of South Pass of the Mississippi River. Zone 2 extends from the eastern shore of South Pass of the Mississippi River to the western shore of Vermilion Bay and Southwest Pass at Marsh Island. Zone 3 extends from the western shore of Vermilion Bay and Southwest Pass at Marsh Island to the Louisiana-Texas state line.
The commission also authorized the LDWF Secretary to change the closing dates of the 2009 fall shrimp season if biological and technical data indicate a need to do so or if enforcement problems develop and to close and reopen all or parts of state inside and outside waters if significant numbers of small white shrimp are found in these waters.
According to LDWF trip ticket report data, 2008 Louisiana shrimp landings measured 90.4 million pounds and were valued at $133.5 million dockside. White shrimp landings accounted for approximately 70 percent of total shrimp landings and comprised 82 percent of the value. Trip ticket data also indicated that 2,873 licensed commercial shrimp fishermen reported taking 39,949 shrimping trips in 2008.
