Can shrimp become big business in Maryland? Here's what's in works as it moves forward

The Maryland Department of Natural Resource is moving forward with its shrimp pilot program that could be a financial boon for the state.

The department recently announced it is working with the Tidal Fisheries Advisory Committee’s Shrimp Workgroup to develop a commercial Shrimp Pilot Program in state waters of the Atlantic Ocean using a 16-foot beam trawl. That could be the first step of expanding shrimping operations already seen in neighboring states like Virginia.

Permittees will need to show at least 200 total pounds of harvest in the first two years of holding a permit in order to maintain eligibility in the program. The application needs to be completed by July 25.

The Shrimp Pilot Program permit will allow a participant in possession of a Maryland Unlimited Tidal Fish License or Unlimited Finfish Harvester License to use a 16-foot beam trawl that meets the requirements described by the department. This fishery is modeled from the successful Virginia shrimp fishery, which harvests white and brown shrimp.

Acceptance into the program does not guarantee that you will receive a Shrimp Pilot Program permit. A limited number of permits will be issued to people accepted into the program that also pass the gear inspection.

According to the department, a limited number of permits will be issued upon completion of a gear inspection for the Sep. 15, 2024, through Jan. 31, 2025, season. The number of permits will be determined after the application period.

Legal shrimp fishing may occur 30 minutes prior to sunrise through 30 minutes after sunset. All set level harvest must be reported after each trip via an electronic reporting spreadsheet provided by the department. All landing information will be available to be used publicly (and anonymously) by the department as needed. Estimates of bycatch must be included in the reporting.

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The question now is whether the two species can coexist in the same waters.

Consumers, and the few commercial fishermen allowed to take part in the planned limited fishery, stand to be the real winners if Maryland shrimp proves to be a tasty and lucrative revenue stream.

In 2022, Don Webster, regional specialist at the University of Maryland Extension Wye Research & Education Center, also sees the two species coexisting well, even noting that a shrimp fishery already existed briefly in the state in the 1980s.

That comes as welcomed news to fisherman eager to revive, even if only modestly, an emerging market for Maryland shrimp for consumers at every level.

"I can't see that it will have a detrimental effect on submerged aquatic vegetation beds as shrimp are generally caught using bottom trawls," Webster said. "As the state moves forward developing regulations, it would likely take into effect negative impacts on aquatic vegetation beds."

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This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Can shrimp become big business in Maryland? Here's what's in works as it moves forward