Introduction
In 2014, the state of Florida landed over 18 million pounds of shrimp, 11 million of which were landed on the Gulf side of the state. Shrimp is one of the top five most valuable commercial fisheries in Florida. The three species most commonly landed are brown shrimp (Farfantepenaeus aztecus), white shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus), and pink shrimp (Farfantepenaeus duorarum). Florida accounts for over 80% of pink shrimp landings across the Gulf.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) is responsible for monitoring and managing the shrimp fishery in state waters. FWC monitors landing of shrimp through its Marine Fisheries Trip Ticket Program. Federal waters off Florida are open year-round and managed by NOAA Fisheries and the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council.
For more information about the Florida shrimp fishery, visit FINFO.
For more information about the shrimp fishery in federal waters, visit FishWatch.
Florida Shrimp FIPs
Fishery Improvement Projects are a way for a business to not only highlight its dedication to sustainability, but also is a chance to showcase the progress of a fishery. There are different templates for FIPs, and businesses can chose which one fits the needs of their clients. Currently, there are three shrimp FIPs in Florida, all with the goal of advancing the fishery forward and decreasing bycatch within the fishery. However, each one follows a different FIP template based on each business’s needs.
