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PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The value of Canada's cold water shrimp exports to the United States is growing as the Gulf of Maine's fishery remains closed to fishing.
Fishermen from coastal New England and eastern Canada fish for the shrimp, which are popular for their sweet meat. Regulators shut down the Gulf of Maine fishery in December 2013 over concerns about population levels.
Some Maine fishermen say dealers and restaurants have resorted to Canadian alternatives so they can keep the popular item on the menu. Federal statistics say the value of Canada's shrimp imports grew nearly 20 percent, to more than $30.5 million, from 2013 to 2014.
Gary Libby is a fishermen who sits on the Northern Shrimp Advisory Panel. He says the Canadian shrimp are "filling in for now" until the stock rebuilds.
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