Shrimp harvest may beat average

BILOXI, Miss. -- NOAA scientists predict an above-average season for the commercial harvest of brown shrimp in the western Gulf. The marine scientists make an annual prediction of brown shrimp catches based on monitoring juvenile populations, growth estimates and environmental indicators. They estimate the harvest in the western Gulf will be 59.2 million pounds, above the historical 50-year average of 56.5 million pounds, NOAA's officials said Thursday. (Source: Sun Herald, 07/05/12)