New England shrimp season set at 180 days

PORTLAND (AP) — Fishery regulators have approved a 180-day northern shrimp season for New England fishermen.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's shrimp committee, meeting in Portland on Thursday, approved a season that will run from Dec. 1 through May 29, the same dates as last year's season.

Scientists say the resource is in good shape, but there are concerns about what sort of market there is for the small, sweet shrimp.

Last year, fishermen from Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts caught 4.8 million pounds of shrimp, with more than 90 percent of the catch coming from Maine boats. The season was characterized by high catch rates, low prices and a limited market.