On the U.S. east coast, it primarily inhabits the marine waters off of Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.
Northern shrimp begin life as males.
Following their second year, they go through a transition and change sex to female. Female shrimp may live up to five years old and attain a size of up to three to four inches in length. Mating takes place in offshore waters during the late summer. The eggs are carried by the females on their abdomen and hatching takes place during the winter when the shrimp are in inshore waters. Shrimp Fishery Northern shrimp provides a small but valuable fishery to the New England states.