The fall inshore shrimp season will open in Shrimp Management Zones 2 and 3 at official sunrise Monday, August 11, 2003 and in Shrimp Management Zone 1 at official sunrise Monday, August 18, 2003. Season dates were approved by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission at its August 6 meeting, based on recommendations presented by Marine Fisheries Division staff.

The closing date set by the commission for Zones 2 and 3 is official sunset Tuesday, December 16. Zone 1 will close to shrimping at official sunset, Wednesday, December 31, except for Breton and Chandeleur Sounds as described by the menhaden rule (LAC 76, Part 7, Chapter 3, Section 307D), which will remain open until 6:00 a.m. March 31, 2004. 

Zone 1 includes Louisiana's inside waters from the Mississippi-Louisiana state line westward to the eastern shore of South Pass of the Mississippi River. Zone 2 includes Louisiana's inside waters from the eastern shore of South Pass of the Mississippi River westward to the western shore of Vermilion Bay and Southwest Pass at Marsh Island. Zone 3 extends from the western shore of Vermilion Bay and Southwest Pass at Marsh Island westward to the Louisiana-Texas state line.

The commission authorized Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary James H. Jenkins Jr. to change the closing dates of the 2003 fall shrimp season if biological and technical data indicate a need to do so or if enforcement problems develop and to close all or parts of outside waters if significant numbers of small white shrimp are found in these waters.