The commercial shrimp season in Texas waters opened this week.
Texas Parks and Wildlife makes the determination each year on the opening day, which is typically on July 15, as it was this year.
Andrea Hance with the Texas Shrimp Association says Texas shrimp are ready to harvest.
“They should be larger than most other shrimp around the Gulf, and that’s why Texas shrimp are the most valuable shrimp in the United States,” she said.
Competition from less expensive farm-raised or foreign-caught shrimp has taken a toll on Texas shrimpers. But Hance says consumers are still seeking out Texas Gulf shrimp, which she finds encouraging.
“We’re seeing that they’re reading the labels and choosing the superior product, which is Gulf of Mexico shrimp,” she said.
Despite the demand Hance says is there, the Texas shrimp industry has shrunk by about 90% in the last 30 years.
