Shrimp season is officially underway in Mississippi.
The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources confirmed that the 2026-27 shrimp season in state territorial waters began on Tuesday at 6 a.m. Officials remind the public that all state regulations will be in effect, and all boats engaged in catching or transporting shrimp from Mississippi waters must be licensed or have proper permits before beginning operations.
Recreational and commercial shrimp season north of the Intracoastal Waterway will close at 12:01 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2027. For areas south of the Intracoastal Waterway and west of the Gulfport Ship Channel, shrimp season will close at 12:01 a.m. on May 1, 2027.
During the shrimp season, Marine Patrol officers will be available to perform dockside courtesy inspections of Turtle Excluder Devices upon request of shrimpers.
Turtle Excluder Devices are specialized grids with escape openings installed in trawl nets. They allow endangered sea turtles to escape safely while shrimp remain captured inside.