PORTSMOUTH, New Hampshire - Interstate fishing regulators say they will meet next month to decide if there will be a fishing season for Maine shrimp next year, though they say prospects are bleak.
The fishery is currently shut down over concerns about its low population. Fishermen haven't been able to catch the popular food species since 2013. A panel of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will make a decision about the coming season on Dec. 7 in Portsmouth.
The fishery was formerly a popular winter fishery for fishermen who spent the warmer months trapping lobsters. Maine fishermen caught more than 10 million pounds of the shrimp as recently as 2011. They've since disappeared from fish markets and restaurants.
Fishermen from Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts participated in the fishery when it was open.