GULF SHORES — Alabama marine officials have started developing a new shrimp fishery management plan, launching two public listening sessions this month to gather public input needed for a third-party sustainability certification.

The Marine Resources Division (MRD) of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is drafting the plan as part of an external review intended to show that the state's shrimp harvest is environmentally responsible and transparently managed. To meet those standards, the agency must formally document its management goals and show opportunities for industry input.

"The Alabama shrimp fishery is undergoing an external certification process to demonstrate the resource is managed sustainably," ADCNR Commissioner Chris Blankenship said. "The new shrimp fishery management plan is a requirement for that certification. It is important that we receive input from participants in Alabama's shrimping industry."

At this stage, officials say they are not proposing any new regulations. Instead, they are trying to build the framework that would guide future decisions. Acting MRD Director Kevin Anson said the meetings are meant to start the conversation rather than define any immediate changes.

He explained that the certification process requires "documents put together that kind of coalesce management, ideas, options and objectives for how the Alabama shrimp fishery would be managed."

The agency has drafted sample objectives to help guide the discussion, but Anson said those will continue to evolve as MRD reviews feedback and holds internal meetings. Once refined, a full draft of the management plan will be released for public comment before being submitted to the certification team.

"There'll be a draft version that will actually go out to the public and that the public will be able to see and make comments on it before we submit that as our final submission," he said.

Suggestions offered during the listening sessions will be evaluated based on feasibility, authority and potential impact on the fishery. Some proposals may fall outside the department's jurisdiction or require resources the agency doesn't have, Anson noted, but others could help guide long-term management.

Beyond meeting certification requirements, the agency sees the meetings as an opportunity to reconnect with shrimpers and bring more structure to public engagement. Routine listening sessions are not common for the shrimp fishery, but Anson said that could change if the plan is adopted.

"We have not had many with the shrimp fishery in quite some time," he said.

If the plan moves forward, he added, future meetings could resemble the MRD's annual oyster update, where staff review harvest trends, sampling results and comparisons to previous years.

John Mareska, assistant fisheries biologist for the division, said the broader goal is not just administrative but economic. A certified, transparent management plan could strengthen the reputation of Alabama shrimp and support long-term sustainability.

"The objective is to promote the value of local caught shrimp, and also promote effective and efficient harvesting practices for a sustainable harvest," Mareska said.

MRD will collect comments from both listening sessions before preparing the first full draft of the management plan for public review.

Gabriella Chavez is a Report for America corps member who writes about growth and development in Baldwin County and our natural spaces for Gulf Coast Media. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://tinyurl.com/yaf8yf5n.