Maine Shrimp Season Shortened But Sweeter

The lengthened Maine shrimp season was shortened by three weeks in an emergency action by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. The quota had been exceeded at that point and small shrimp were beginning to show up in the catch. The closure shortened the season by about three weeks.

Other than that the season was generally pretty good, said Port Clyde fisherman Glen Libby. They were getting 50 cents a pound, a modest improvement over recent years.

The season had also been lengthened to 180 days, a big improvement over the radically shortened season a few years ago.

Shrimp was plentiful and the quality was good. Things were particularly good in Port Clyde. Port Clyde Fresh Catch has developed markets for Maine shrimp and demand is growing. Port Clyde Fresh Catch is a Community Supported Fishery group that supplies seafood regionally. They have also established markets in New York City and Providence, RI where the customer base is expanding.

Libby said a lot of orders came in at the last minute and they were sold out at Port Clyde Fresh Catch.