No one knows. It could be disease or the BP oil spill. I suspect it’s because of the record high temperatures. In Texas, we had something like 100 days straight of 100+ temperatures. I’m sure that heated up the waters in the Gulf which may have sent some fish to new breeding grounds or upset their lifecycle somehow. Louisiana and Mississippi shrimping is also down.
The little bags of small frozen shrimp have gone up a dollar recently at my store.
Probably a combination of both the spill and the warmer water. 80% less is a lot though. :/