Introduction

Named for the mighty river that creates its western boundary, Mississippi has 44 miles of coastline and, like New Orleans a jump across the river, is one of the original homes of jazz. Mississippi has a quintessentially Southern culture, with Native American, European and Antebellum influences that span centuries. Mississippi may have the smallest fishery in the Gulf, but they still pull in around $44 million in landings revenue, mostly through menhaden catches, with shrimp a close second.
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources is responsible for managing the fisheries in state waters.
Mississippi Seafood is the marketing and promotion initiative of the state.