By Chuck Dunlap

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- The first week of the Mississippi shrimp season was a slow one for shrimpers, but coastal experts are confident the 1999 season will be successful.

About 942 boats were counted during a flyover of the Mississippi Sound on opening day, slightly less than the 1,000 counted on opening day the year before. The boats will continue to concentrate their efforts in the Sound before dispersing throughout the Gulf, leaving a small fleet of Coast fishermen to work the Sound for the rest of the summer.

Dave Burrage, Extension marine resources specialist at the Coastal Research and Extension Center, said he isn't worried about the numbers and size of shrimp being down so far this season.

"A slow start tends to lead to a good finish and a better season in the long run," Burrage said. "It normally moderates itself and catches up to past productivity in the end. This year, production will probably be spread over a longer period."

The 1998 season began with a slow start as well, but in the end, fisherman landed some 15.9 million pounds of shrimp in Mississippi waterways, the second-best season in the last 30 years.

The main concern for fishermen this year is the size of the shrimp. Small shrimp means less money to shrimpers. Although it is too early for dealers to quote prices, they expect prices to be up slightly from last year. In 1998, shrimpers received $1.25 per pound for medium-sized shrimp, while those same shrimp brought $2 per pound in 1997.

Consumer demand for shrimp remains high on the market. However, a glut of shrimp after the season opening usually causes the prices to fall.

"The crop is there," Burrage said. "We had a warm winter and a lack of rain. Most of the larger shrimp are still in the bays and estuaries, which are inaccessible to the shrimpers, where salinity is high. As we get more rain, this will help flush the shrimp into the Sound."

Alabama officials have closed a number of coastal areas due to undersized shrimp. Burrage said he doesn't think that will happen in Mississippi.

"What's different this year than in the past is that not much has been caught very quickly," Burrage added. "This will all even out. In the end, production will catch up to normal. It's too early to start making predictions about this being a poor season. It will be interesting to compare the July production rates to the rates of June. I think you will see a tremendous improvement in the size and number of shrimp over the next few weeks."