Bacterial contamination in Penaeus monodon during processing for export was investigated. Viable counts of bacteria in shrimps under three phases of processing and from two different sources were evaluated. Bacterial strains, pathogenic to man were isolated, characterized and quantified. Attempts were also made to evaluate the seasonal differences in pathogen species composition. Altogether, 4 pathogenic strains viz., Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus altreus, Vibrio cholerae and Salmonella typhi were isolated and identified. Results also showed high counts in headed raw shrimps than processed and finished product. Comparatively, high bacterial abundance was observed in samples from mechanized boats than those from deep-sea trawlers. Seasonal variations of bacterial abundance were marked and possible cause of contamination and remedies were discussed.