Water temperatures hovering in the mid-40s can cause massive shrimp kills.
(AP) -- CHARLESTON, S.C. Plummeting water temperatures are causing South Carolina officials to call an early end to the fall shrimping season.
The Post and Courier of Charleston reports Friday the fall season of commercial shrimping will end Monday night, nearly two weeks early.
Officials called it a protective move to save as many shrimp as possible to spawn in spring. Water temperatures hovering in the mid-40s can cause massive shrimp kills.
The water temperature in Charleston Harbor on Thursday afternoon was 47 degrees.
Mel Bell with the Department of Natural Resources says officials are "starting to get the heebie-jeebies."
In the winter of 2000-2001, prolonged water temperatures of about 46 degrees killed roughly 98 percent of the shrimp population, which took two seasons to recover.
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