PORTLAND, Maine — New England shrimp will be unavailable to seafood consumers for at least another year as the fishery struggles with environmental changes.
An arm of the regulatory Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission made the decision on Wednesday in Portland. New England shrimp fishing is based in Maine and has been shut down since 2013.
Scientists have said the shrimp are suffering from poor reproduction and warming ocean temperatures. The Atlantic States commission was tasked with determining if the shrimp population has recovered enough to withstand commercial fishing pressure.
The shrimp fishery has traditionally taken place in winter months. The shrimp were a popular winter seafood item in New England and beyond. An advisory board had recommended reopening the fishery, but the commission’s technical committee wanted to keep the fishery closed.