People across the nation still can’t enjoy New England shrimp easily this winter.
New England regulators voted on Thursday to extend a fishing shutdown for shrimp, according to the Associated Press.
The reason given was warming oceans.
Today’s fishery paints a stark contrast from those of the past. New England fishermen used to catch millions of pounds of small pink shrimp during the winter fishing season.
But now, an arm of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission voted to continue a fishing moratorium that began in 2014 for another three years, as the shrimp population is not large enough to fish sustainably.
Shrimp fishermen were allied to catch a small number of shrimp for an industry-funded sampling and data collection initiative. Fishermen who participated caught just under three pounds of shrimp.
New England shrimp were once part of the U.S.’s wild-caught shrimp industry, specifically as a winter delicacy.
