Maine Shrimp fishermen in New England will be able to fish for 151 days during the upcoming northern shrimp season, eleven days longer than last year. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s shrimp committee has approved a season that will run from December first through April 30th. Chairman Ritchie White said the commission’s efforts to reduce mortality led to record catches being reported in the Gulf of Maine during a summer survey. After several boom shrimp fishing years in the 1990s, shrimp stocks fell, forcing the commission to shorten the season to just 25 days in 2002-2003 and 38 days in 2003-2004. Northern shrimp provide a small but valuable fishery to fishermen across New England, especially in Maine.