Brown, white and pink shrimp are the three major types of shrimp commercially and recreationally harvested. The shrimp’s life cycle involves a variety of changes from larvae to juvenile, to adult. The biological life cycles of the three species are similar, but their developmental stages occur during different times of the year.

US shrimp fishery management is among the most sustainable and successful in the world. Healthy Wild Shrimp Stocks are maintained by the Magnuson- Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management Act (MSA). This is the most stringent and effective fishery conservation and management act in the world.

Gulf Shrimp are also subject to biological sustainability. This means Gulf shrimp are an annual species whose entire life cycle is completed within approximately one year. Stock production is a function of the prevailing environmental conditions and not fishing mortality.

There are proven success with the US shrimp fishery management. On if the most prevalent is NOAA consistently ranks US shrimp stocks as “not overfished” and “not subject to overfishing”

The US has superior policies in regards to bycatch reduction than other countries. In addition, the industry itself has taken a proactive approach. This commitment includes Red Snapper rebuilding, finfish bycatch reduction and Sea Turtle protection and restoration. To ensure compliance, boats are monitored both by on-board observers and through the widespread use of Electronic Logbooks. ELBs are the central tool used by fishery managers to achieve shrimp fishery bycatch reduction objectives and by fishery scientists to monitor the health of shrimp stocks. No other warm water shrimp fishery approaches the US shrimp fishery’s level of commitment or achievement.