PORT ARTHUR, Texas — Shrimping season is beginning, but many local shrimpers are being forced to stay onshore.
Southeast Texas shrimpers have voiced their frustrations with the influx of cheaper imported shrimp in the past, but local shrimpers say that isn't the only culprit in the slow start to the season.
The president of the Port Arthur Shrimp Association Kyle Kimball tells 12News Hurricane Beryl has a part to play in how small his latest catch was.
Kimball and his crew aboard the Sea Horse only caught a fraction of the haul they would get a few seasons ago.
"We'd usually catch anywhere from six, eight, 10,000. One time I had 12,000 pounds," said Kimball.
Kimball is saying the recent storms are to blame. Large amounts of fresh water pushed south from Beryl means there is less salt water sweet spots for shrimping.
"Mother nature takes care of her own it has a habit of thinning out the fleets on top of that," Kimball said.
While shrimp are scarce, high costs are also keeping shrimpers docked.
Kimball says they're having to compete with imported shrimp, which are cheaper and are subjected to less federal regulations.
"The import shrimp are contaminated," said Kimball. "The imports, the subsidies coming in from other countries has just made it hard and we're looking at two more years before we can expect any change."
For some shrimpers buying fuel for a likely unproductive outing just isn't worth it anymore.
"The cost of everything is up so high,"; Kimball said. "You're talking $30,000 to $50,000 to get out. 10 days worth of fuel, you can be in a $15,000, $20,000 bracket to get out."
While the waters are rough, Tricia Kimball refuses to let three generations of family shrimping end with her family.
"The younger generation doesn't find it profitable because the prices of shrimp are low right now and they're looking for other avenues where they'll make more money," she said.
The Kimballs want to remind Southeast Texans to pay special attention to the shrimp they buy and try to support local gulf shrimpers when you can.