Drought spawns economic loss for shrimpers along southeastern coast

JEKYLL ISLAND, Georgia (CNN) -- With economic losses mounting for shrimpers along the South Carolina and Georgia coasts, the two states' governors appealed this week to the Small Business Administration for federal disaster designation for shrimpers.

Three consecutive years of drought conditions in the two states, along with an extended cold winter this year have led to harvests this year sharply below normal. A sampling found the February harvest in Georgia to be 97 percent below the long-term average, said Susan Shipman, chief of marine fisheries for the state's Department of Natural Resources.

"Typically, we catch 20 pounds per hour, but we caught less than one pound per hour in a test," Shipman said.

Wesley Dickey, the captain of a shrimping boat for 41 years, said that in addition to the poor weather conditions, Georgia shrimpers are being hurt by shrimpers from other states encroaching on what has long been considered Georgia's territory.

"We've got a lot of Alabama boats that come in and they drag 24 hours a day," Dickey said. "What really would help would be to stop the night fishing."

Dickey said there are very few shrimp in the water and "what we need to do is protect what shrimp are in there for the spawning."

If the requests by Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes and South Carolina Gov. Jim Hodges for disaster designation are granted, affected counties would be eligible for low-interest disaster loans.

The Georgia DNR's Shipman said it costs more than $100 per day to operate a shrimping boat and the economic loss for shrimpers is enormous.

"You're talking $2 million to $3 million loss" for the industry in a season, she said.

"South Carolina is in a much worse predicament," Shipman requested, adding that South Carolina has requested closure of federal waters adjacent to the state to protect any shrimp that move out of its waters to spawn.

Jim Music, head of the commercial fisheries program for the Georgia DNR, said it is important that the remaining shrimp not be disturbed, "to maximize spring spawning potential."

"Fall harvest is most important in regards to pounds," Music said.

Dickey said a March 7 meeting is planned for shrimpers to discuss options available to them.

"I'm trying to think of something myself to do with my boat, but I can't think of anything," Dickey said. "I know for the next three or four months, it's going to be nothing."

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