Trawling the Shrimp Trail (Mississippi)

On a recent drive from New Orleans to Biloxi, we decided to take a less-traveled route, skipping the I-10 fast lanes for the scenery, slower pace and coastline attractions of Highway 90, or the Old Spanish Trail. Along the route, we noticed immediately on entering Mississippi small shrimp signs. Intrigued immediately but outside the range of cell-phone towers, we drove on toward Pass Christian before our signal was strong enough to submit our inquiry to Google:  Shrimp signs on Highway 90?

Apparently, we weren’t the first or only travelers intrigued by the new signs.  News articles dating back to 2014 announced the idea behind the signs. In January 2016, a news story from WXXV 25, one of the Gulf Coast media outlets, promised an “App On the Way for Shrimp Signs.”  We continued to scroll through the results until we found the result we were seeking:  A May 2017 posting from GulfCoast.Org that provided a link to the new My Gulf Coast app.  And of course, we downloaded it — as soon as our signal improved enough to provide a reliable data connection.

What You Need to Know:

78 Stops on the Shrimp Trail.  From Waveland to Moss Point, 78 Shrimp Trail signs adorn the approximately 60 mile stretch along Highway 90. The highest concentration appears between Long Beach and Ocean Springs, which includes the more-populated and commercial cities of Gulfport and Biloxi. Each numbered sign is found easily in the app.  But, it’s probably not the best idea to look up the attractions when you reach a number.

Find Things to Do.  If you’re interested in activities and attractions ranging from beaches, boats and bars to gambling and nightlife, use the navigation feature to check out “Things to Do.”  Options are organized by category, with details on local options and corresponding Shrimp Trail sign post numbers. For planning, it’s easy to use the “Heart” symbol to save your favorites, and a map link is available.  For those who have a map app favorite, this app links to Apple Maps, which dedicated Google Maps users (like me!) can find annoying and off-putting.

Local and Chain Locations to Eat. The Gulf Coast is a seafood paradise, and you’ll find many local seafood houses listed here.  You’ll also find a wide variety of familiar chains.  Two warnings.  First, some of the restaurants are a long way off the “Trail.”  For example, Shaw’s Fish House is associated with Sign 13 in Ocean Springs.  But you’ll have to travel 37 miles northwest to find it in Perkinston, MS.  Second, while the app does provide addresses, phone numbers and website links to listed restaurants, there’s no easy access to customer ratings or

comments in the app.  You’ll have to pull up Yelp or your favorite rating app to see how locals and fellow travelers rate food and service.  On the plus side, the Where to Eat list is organized by restaurant type, so it’s easy to focus quickly on the type of food that teases your culinary imagination.

Limited Number of Deals and Offers. When we checked, there were 12 listings for special offers on sports equipment rentals, boat tours, restaurant discounts and more.  We imagine this changes periodically.

Don’t Search for Shrimp Trail App. The Apple App store will return a big ZERO results.  Instead, search for My Gulf Coast.

Shrimp Backstory:

Why use a shrimp on the signs? While it’s difficult to spot behind the casinos, beach activities and private marinas, the seafood industry is an important part of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.  In the 19th century, fishing fleets and shrimp boats were the dominant employers in the area, and processing centers provided significant seafood for broad distribution.  In 2011, the Mississippi shrimping industry produced $131 million in sales, and created almost 3,000 full-time and part-time jobs.  Specially-equipped boats pull huge nets that drag the sandy bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, capturing the shrimp inside and forcing them to the back of the net.  This is known locally as “Trawling.”   Unfortunately, shrimp harvests have fallen significantly since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010.