BATON ROUGE (AP) — State wildlife and fisheries regulators say the 2013 spring inshore shrimp season will close Thursday at 6 a.m.

The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ announcement Friday affects the remaining portions of Timbalier Bay, Terrebonne Bay, Lake Pelto and Pelican Lake where the season had been extended, and from the Mississippi/Louisiana state line westward to the eastern shore of Bayou Lafourche.

Officials say data collected in recent weeks by state biologists indicate increased quantity, distribution and percentage of small, juvenile white shrimp within these waters. The decision to close this area was made in an effort to protect these developing shrimp and provide opportunity for growth to larger and more marketable sizes.

Shrimping will remain open, until further notice, in the open waters of Breton and Chandeleur Sounds and in part of the Mississippi Sound.

All remaining state outside waters, as well as those portions of the Pontchartrain Basin will remain open to shrimping until further notice, with the exception of those areas still closed to recreational and commercial fishing due to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil disaster.

(mgnonline.com)