Mississippi waters will be open for a new season of shrimping beginning on Monday, June 23.
Officials with the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources announced Friday that the 2025-26 season will kick off in state territorial waters at 6 a.m. on Monday. All MDMR regulations will be in full effect, while all boats engaged in catching or transporting shrimp must be licensed or permitted through MDMR before making a bid for shrimp.
Recreational and commercial shrimp season north of the Intracoastal Waterway will run from Monday at 6 a.m to 12:01 a.m. on January 1, 2026, while areas south of the Intracoastal Waterway and west of the Gulfport Ship Channel will close at 12:01 a.m. on May 1, 2026.
Licensed live-bait shrimping is open year-round in designated areas.
MDMR staff will continue conducting samples ahead of opening day. Authorities noted that the start date could be postponed if sampling shows the movement of large numbers of juvenile brown shrimp into state territorial waters.
Marine Patrol officers will be available to perform dockside courtesy inspections of Turtle Excluder Devices if requested by shimpers. Those requesting inspections can do so by contacting Marine Patrol at (228) 523-4134.
Further questions can be answered via the Mississippi Shrimp Information Hotline at (866) 938-7295, or by contacting MDMR at (228) 374-5000.
