A trip to the South doesn’t feel complete without sampling shrimp in all its forms, from shrimp and grits to seafood boils. Although the crustacean is on the menu year-round, the warmer months and early fall are prime times for wild-caught shrimp along much of the Southern coast. The exact timing depends on location, species and local regulations.
State agencies monitor shrimp populations and set commercial and recreational harvesting rules to protect maturing shrimp and manage the fishery, so dates change from year to year, and there’s no single season that applies across the entire region.
Inside vs. outside waters
A shrimp boat passes the historic Sabine Pass Lighthouse. Credit: earl_of_omaha/Getty
Many Southern states have different rules for inshore and outside waters.
Inside waters are sheltered coastal areas such as bays, sounds, bayous and estuaries. They double as nursery grounds, where young shrimp spend their early months growing before heading to open water. Outside waters are the open Gulf or Atlantic off the coast, including state waters that extend a few miles out and federal waters beyond them.
Because inside waters are where the youngest shrimp live, states often manage them more tightly. They may open only once shrimp reach a legal size, or close early to protect a new crop, while outside waters stay open.
Gulf Coast: Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas
Louisiana
The spring inshore season, which targets brown shrimp, typically opens in May and closes in early July. The state sets the dates each year based on biological sampling, and they can differ by region.
The fall white shrimp season has opened in mid-August in recent years and usually closes in December. Officials adjust openings and closures based on shrimp size, abundance and environmental conditions.
Mississippi
The season typically opens in early June, once sampling shows shrimp have reached legal size, and closes at the end of December in northern waters. Some areas have different closing dates. In Biloxi, the Blessing of the Fleet has long been associated with the start of the season.
Alabama
Inside waters such as Mobile Bay, Bon Secour Bay and Mississippi Sound typically open to shrimping on June 1. The season runs into December, and summer is considered the peak.
Texas
Each spring, usually around Mid-May, Texas closes its Gulf waters to commercial shrimping, from the coast out to nine nautical miles. Federal waters out to 200 nautical miles close to match. The closure typically begins around May 15 and lasts roughly 45 to 60 days, giving young brown shrimp time to leave the bays and grow before they’re harvested. July 15 is the statutory reopening date, but biologists sample shrimp in June and may set a different date, and the closure can’t exceed 60 days. When the Gulf reopens, the summer harvest begins. Texas bays have their own rules, so check with Texas Parks and Wildlife before heading out.
South Carolina and Georgia: The Atlantic Coast
Along the South Carolina and Georgia coasts, shrimp harvesting is especially associated with summer and fall, though it can begin in spring and continue into winter.
South Carolina
The commercial season often starts in spring with a few small provisional areas, then opens fully in late May or June. The early catch is prized roe white shrimp, which are large, carry eggs and typically fetch higher prices. Brown shrimp peak in summer, and a second crop of white shrimp arrives in late summer and fall, often continuing into winter. Exact dates change each year, because officials wait until the spring shrimp have had a chance to spawn.
Georgia
The commercial and recreational food shrimp season typically opens in early to mid-June. By law it closes at the end of the year, but how long it actually lasts depends on shrimp size, weather and regulations, and the state has extended it into January in recent years.