edcurity announced today it's raising the number of h-2b visas this year from 66,000 to 81,000. these are temporary visas for foreigners to come to the u.s. to do seasonal, non-farm work. but this one-time visa expansion tey be too little too late. here's mark strassmann. or reporter: on the texas gulf itast, shrimp season began with nal aditional blessing of the fleet. this year's answered prayer would be hundreds of needed deck hands. >> we're following the law. we're not breaking the law. okay. and it's very frustrating. >> reporter: carlton reyes owns seven shrimp boats in brownsville, texas. since 1987 he's relied on mexican deck hands, two per boat, who come here on h-2b visas. he applied for 14 of them this year. >>ne has been approved. >> it's going to be a tremendous impact on the shrimp season and on the economy. we can't bring in the shrimp beat is out there to harvest,