Support our non-partisan non-profit newsroom 💜 Donate now

Shrimping season begins early on Gulf coast

Marketplace Contributor May 30, 2012
HTML EMBED:
COPY

Shrimping season begins early on Gulf coast

Marketplace Contributor May 30, 2012
HTML EMBED:
COPY

Stacey Vanek Smith: Shrimpers in Alabama and Mississippi begin their harvest today. Warmer than usual temperatures in the region have put shrimpers two weeks ahead of schedule.

Brigid Elsken Galloway has more.


Brigid Elsken Galloway: After the BP spill, the multi-billion-dollar Gulf Coast seafood industry was shut down. Now, two years later, things are looking up, at least for shrimpers. No one knows the extent of the recovery yet, but this morning a fleet of more than 100 shrimp boats cast their nets to begin the harvest.

Greg Landier owns Sea Pearl Seafood.

Greg Landier: It is an economic boost to everyone because the earlier they get it the sooner they make money and hopefully the season lasts for quite a while and they catch a lot of shrimp.

And that boost is expected to trickle up about 300 miles north.

At Gulf Seafood Market in Birmingham, Solomon Tang anxiously awaits delivery of fresh brown shrimp.

Solomon Tang: We sell a lot of shrimp, especially during this time. Shrimp gumbo, shrimp boil, steamed shrimp. I like shrimp boil, that’s one of my favorites.

The opening of shrimp season on the Gulf Coast will also mean fresh shrimp and fresh cash for seafood sellers all over the country.

In Birmingham, I’m Brigid Elsken Galloway for Marketplace.

There’s a lot happening in the world.  Through it all, Marketplace is here for you. 

You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible. 

Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.