Cold winter may delay South Carolina shrimp season to June

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (AP) - Colder than normal temperatures this winter likely means the shrimp season off the South Carolina coast will start later.

Mount Pleasant held the Blessing of the Fleet and Seafood Festival on Sunday, which typically means the shrimping season is a week or two away. But this year it could be June before state waters open.

Department of Natural Resources scientists are bringing back empty trawl nets more often than not off the state’s coast, indicating the shrimp population isn’t ready to be harvested, assistant marine scientist Michael Kendrick told The Post and Courier of Charleston .

“We have seen similar cold weather events in recent history which also led to the delayed spring opening of the commercial shrimp trawl fishery,” Kendrick said. “In 2001, for example, prolonged cold winter weather delayed the opening of state waters until mid-June, one month later (than usual).”

Agency scientists said the cold weather, which included an unusual snowstorm along the southern coast of South Carolina, caused more fish and shellfish to die off the coast than just four other winters since the 1950s.

Water temperatures off the South Carolina coast are still running below normal in the high 60s. Shrimpers are watching carefully.

“If the water temperatures get to 70 and we’re still not seeing shrimp, we’re in trouble,” Shem Creek shrimper Tommy Edwards said as he spruced up his boat for the Blessing of the Fleet parade.

South Carolina shrimpers have been struggling in recent years. Only a fourth of the boats operate today as did in the peak years two decades ago.

Boaters blame increasing costs - this year fuel prices are rising - along with prices that have not kept up and uncertain harvests.

Also, the shrimp harvests are more plentiful in the Gulf of Mexico and overseas.

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Information from: The Post and Courier, http://www.postandcourier.com