January 29, 2017 — Portland, Maine — A group of fishermen selected to help study New England’s declining commercial species of shrimp is beginning its work.
The states of Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire tapped eight shrimp trawlers and five shrimp trappers to collect shrimp to provide biological data about the fishery.
The fishery has been shut down for four years in a row, and scientists say the Northern shrimp species has been hit hard by warming waters.
Fishing regulators say some of the trawlers began their work in the middle of January. The trappers and some more of the trawlers are scheduled to begin during the week that starts on Monday.