The Gulf of Mexico commercial shrimp season for both Texas and federal waters will close 30 minutes after sunset on Wednesday, May 15, until a still-to-be determined date in July. While the statutory opening date for the gulf season is July 15, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s (TPWD) Coastal Fisheries Division will be sampling shrimp populations this summer to determine the optimum opening date. The Texas shrimp fishery is closed annually to allow brown shrimp to reach a larger and more valuable size prior to harvest. …