The Coastal Resources Division (CRD) of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced plans for the 2020 commercial food shrimp cast net lottery. To be eligible for this lottery, individuals must complete and submit an application to CRD by 4 p.m. June 4, 2020. Lottery applications are available at www.coastalgadnr.org/commercialfishing and at DNR's Coastal Regional Headquarters, One Conservation Way, Brunswick, GA 31520. The drawing will be conducted June 5, 2020. 

Successful lottery license recipients will be notified by certified mail. Recipients must purchase the license by 4 p.m. July 2, 2020. Unclaimed licenses will be offered to the next randomly selected candidate. The fee for a commercial food shrimp cast net license is $250 for Georgia residents ($2,500 for nonresidents), plus the vessel license fee.

A controlled access system for commercial food shrimp cast netting has been in place since 1998, capping license sales at 200. The actual number of available licenses for the 2020 lottery will not be known until the license renewal deadline has passed. Current food shrimp cast net license holders are reminded they must renew their license by 4 p.m. May 29, 2020, or the license will revert back to the state.

For more information, contact CRD's Julie Califf at 912-264-7218.