Shrimp Disaster Declaration Sought by Mississippi

The state will ask the U.S. Department of Commerce to issue a fisheries disaster declaration for Mississippi's shrimp industry.

 The declaration is the first step in possibly gaining federal relief funds. Diaz says if a declaration is made, the state would have to go to Congress for an appropriation for disaster relief.

Diaz says a failure declaration request for oysters and crab was made in August.

He say the 2011 fishing season was affected by the release of freshwater from the flooded Mississippi River through the Bonnet Carre Spillway into the Mississippi Sound from May through June.

Dale Diaz, director of marine fisheries for the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, tells the Mississippi Press that the request will be filed within a week.