Georgia has extended the season for harvesting food shrimp beyond the Dec. 31 closing date.

The Florida Times-Union reports the season might be extended until Feb 29 if conditions remain favorable.

Jim Page, a marine biologist at the Department of Natural Resource’s Coastal Resources Division in Brunswick, said several factors are considered in the decision to extend the season.

So far, conditions have been favorable for the overwintering white shrimp that will replenish the stocks in 2012.

The DNR has extended the food shrimp season every year since 1978 except for 1983, 1989 and 2000, when extremely cold weather in November and December caused water temperatures to drop to levels lethal for white shrimp.

Tags: Department of Natural Resources, shrimping season