At the local industry's peak, about 450 shrimp boats worked out of the Port of Brownsville. When the season opened in the summer of 2025, Texas Public Radio reported that fewer than 100 boats left to fish. The Port of Brownsville put its own count at about 100 shrimp boats based in its fishing harbor that July. The two figures measure different things, but they point the same way. The Gulf shrimp we eat around the Laguna Madre now comes from a fleet that is a fraction of what many of us grew up with.
That's a good thing to keep in mind with the Port Isabel Chamber of Commerce's 33rd Annual Shrimp Cook-Off & Seafood Festival coming up. It also changes how to think about a pound of shrimp from a Port Isabel counter this fall. Local Gulf shrimp is still here, and the next couple of months are among its best. There's just less of it than before, and it makes sense to ask where your shrimp came from.
The calendar that decides what's on ice
Texas shrimp runs on a schedule set in Austin and on the water. Texas Parks and Wildlife closed Gulf waters to commercial shrimping 30 minutes after sunset on May 15, 2026. The agency reopened state and federal waters 30 minutes after sunset on July 15.
From there the season gets busier toward the holidays. The Port Isabel-South Padre Press reported in late November last year that December marks one of the busiest and most important stretches for Port Isabel's fleet. It said the month consistently remains a peak month for landings, sales and distribution, with boats leaving before sunrise and returning through the Port Isabel Channel. The same report said holiday demand gives boat owners an income boost before January and February slow down.
When | What happens |
|---|---|
May 15, 2026 | TPWD closes Texas Gulf waters to commercial shrimping |
July 15, 2026 | State and federal Gulf waters reopen |
Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026 | 33rd Annual Shrimp Cook-Off & Seafood Festival at Sutherlands |
December | Peak month for local landings, sales and distribution, per the Press |
January and February | Slower months for the fleet |
So the Cook-Off falls right where the season starts building toward its best weeks. Late fall into the holidays is a good time to stock the freezer with local shrimp.
Why the fleet got smaller
NOAA Fisheries' March 2026 report on the Gulf shrimp fishery found that Gulf shrimp populations are stable and not being overfished. The trouble is the economics. In that report, Gulf shrimp revenue fell from $489 million in 2021 to $221 million in 2023. Active Gulf shrimping vessels fell 19% over the same two years. Gulf shrimp made up only 4.5% of the U.S. shrimp market in 2023, and inflation-adjusted Gulf shrimp prices dropped below $2 a pound that year.
Fuel adds to the strain. In March 2026, ValleyCentral reported that diesel had climbed from roughly $2.50 to $3.50 a gallon up to $4.50 to $5.50. One local boat owner told the station a single trip could take $55,000 to $60,000 in fuel and operating costs.
Fuel costs are rising, Gulf shrimp prices have fallen, and Gulf shrimp holds a sliver of the national market. The shrimp in the Gulf are fine. Fewer boats can afford to go out after them.
Where to get it in Port Isabel
All this means the counter where you buy shrimp matters more than it used to. These are the spots worth knowing this fall. None of them post dates on their product pages, so call ahead before driving over for a big holiday order.
- Quik Stop, 501 W Queen Isabella Blvd. Better known for bait, Quik Stop also lists fresh Gulf shrimp and fish fillets. It says supply depends on local catch and suppliers, and asks customers to call for same-day availability. In 2025, Texas Public Radio identified the owner as James Galloway, who owns a shrimp boat and sells bait and shrimp at the shop.
- Gulf Seafood Market / Joe's Oyster Bar, 207 E Maxan St. The market page lists medium, large and jumbo shrimp alongside snapper, flounder, drum, crab, oysters and ceviche, subject to market availability, so ask whether the day's shrimp is Gulf-caught. It's also listed in Texas Gulf Seafood's local directory.
- White's Seafood Market. The Press named White's among the Port Isabel suppliers preparing for the holiday rush in its late-November report last year. If you already know where it is, it belongs on your list.
- Texas Gold Shrimp, Brownsville Shrimp Basin. Just up the road, Texas Gold Shrimp says it catches, cleans and delivers its own wild-caught Gulf shrimp, and it ships orders. Its shrimp tours at 1430 Everglades Road include fresh shrimp for sale on site. The tours only run from mid-January through March 6, Monday through Thursday at 10 a.m., so they're a winter outing, not a pre-Cook-Off errand.
Winter Texans are part of this rhythm too. The Press reported that many of them make shrimp purchases part of their weekly routine once they arrive. If you have neighbors coming back for the season, it helps to know where the counters are before the December rush.
The question to ask at the counter
The markets themselves are upfront that supply shifts. Quik Stop ties its seafood case to local catch and supplier availability, and Gulf Seafood Market lists its selection as subject to market availability. So the easiest habit is to ask, "Where did today's shrimp come from?" Folks behind a Port Isabel seafood counter tend to know the answer.
Texas also put a rule on the books about this. According to the Port of Brownsville, Senate Bill 823 took effect September 1, 2025. It requires food service suppliers, wholesalers and distributors in Texas to label whether their shrimp is imported. It also bars restaurants from presenting imported shrimp as domestic, Gulf, American or Texas-caught. Maria Barrera-Jaross, executive director of the Brownsville-based Texas Shrimp Association, told the port, "This is just the beginning."
Saturday, Nov. 7, at Sutherlands
That brings us to the 33rd Annual Shrimp Cook-Off & Seafood Festival. It's the town's yearly celebration of the product all of this is about.
- When: Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Where: Sutherlands, 1723 TX-100, Port Isabel
- Hosted by: Port Isabel Chamber of Commerce
- What's there: Local cooking teams competing with Gulf shrimp dishes, live music, vendor booths, cold drinks, sweets, and a People's Choice vote for festival-goers
Teams and vendors who want to take part can contact the Chamber at [email protected] or (956) 943-2262. The Chamber's page doesn't list an admission price, so check with them if you're planning for a group.
The People's Choice vote is the part you get to decide. At the 31st cook-off in 2024, the Press reported that Blue Marlin took the People's Choice award. Every one of those cooking teams is working with the same Gulf shrimp that fewer boats are bringing in these days, and that makes the day feel a little more special.
On Nov. 7 I'll be at Sutherlands with a plate in hand and opinions about the People's Choice ballot. If you'd like a few more tips on where to find local shrimp this season, or you just want to talk about life on the Laguna Madre, I'm always glad to hear from neighbors. Reach out to Sarah McKinlay anytime. Let's Connect.
