Current:Home > BackAmid Louisiana’s crawfish shortage, governor issues disaster declaration-LoTradeCoin
Amid Louisiana’s crawfish shortage, governor issues disaster declaration
View Date:2024-12-23 21:20:44
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Amid a crawfish shortage in Louisiana, the nation’s top producer of the crustaceans that are a staple in Gulf Coast seafood boils, Gov. Jeff Landry issued a disaster declaration for the impacted industry Wednesday.
Last year’s drought, extreme heat, saltwater intrusion on the Mississippi River and a hard winter freeze in the Bayou State have devastated this year’s crawfish harvest and led to significant price hikes for those purchasing “mudbugs.” Landry says the shortage is not only affecting Louisiana’s economy but also “our way of life.”
“All 365,000 crawfish acres in Louisiana have been affected by these conditions,” Landry said in a written statement Wednesday. “That is why I am issuing a disaster declaration. The crawfish industry needs all the support it can get right now.”
Landry’s disaster declaration, which is the legal underpinning that assists in securing federal resources, comes shortly after a request from Louisiana’s congressional delegation seeking to unlock federal aid to help farmers back in their home state.
During a typical year, Louisiana generates anywhere from 175 million to 200 million pounds of crawfish — contributing $500 million to the state’s economy annually, according to the governor’s office.
However, amid severe drought in 2023 and extreme heat, typically one of the wettest states in the country saw some of its driest conditions. As a result, the weather dried out the soil where crawfish burrow to lay eggs.
The Louisiana State University’s Agriculture Center estimates the potential losses to the state’s crawfish industry to be nearly $140 million.
“Louisiana’s crawfish industry is more than an economic driver for our state — it is a deep part of our cultural heritage,” said Mike Strain, commissioner of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.
Crawfish, which have been harvested commercially in the state since at least the 1800s, are usually plentiful in Louisiana during the late winter and through the spring.
The tail meat, fresh or frozen, of the tiny lobster-like crustaceans are used in a variety of dishes, including crawfish etouffee, gumbos and po-boys. But the most popular way to serve them is boiled with corn and potatoes and a variety of seasonings. Crawfish boils, which see pounds of the freshly cooked crustaceans poured onto communal tables, are popular during Carnival season and during Lent, when many in heavily Catholic south Louisiana seek alternatives to meat.
However, this year Strain said some Mardi Gras celebrations continued without chowing down on crawfish, which were scarce and unaffordable for many.
Around this time last year, the cost for a pound of boiled crawfish was between $3 to $5. Now, restaurants across the state are selling them for $10 to $12 per pound, as reported by The Advocate.
In a letter last week to United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Strain said: “For the first time in many years, due to sustained drought in 2023 and freezing temperatures in early 2024, crawfish are simply unavailable.”
veryGood! (59)
Related
- Horoscopes Today, November 10, 2024
- 'The Masked Singer' unveils Season 10 winner: Watch
- Apple loses latest bid to thwart patent dispute threatening to stop U.S. sales of two watch models
- Federal judge blocks California law that would ban carrying firearms in most public places
- Disease could kill most of the ‘ohi‘a forests on Hawaii’s Big Island within 20 years
- No. 1 recruit Jeremiah Smith ends speculation as Ohio State confirms signing Wednesday
- EU court: FIFA and UEFA defy competition law by blocking Super League
- North Dakota judge to decide whether to temporarily block part of abortion law that limits doctors
- Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight odds will shift the longer the heavyweight bout goes
- Pentagon slow to remedy forever chemicals in water around hundreds of military bases
Ranking
- Opinion: Chris Wallace leaves CNN to go 'where the action' is. Why it matters
- UEFA, FIFA 'unlawful' in European Super League blockade. What this means for new league
- Live updates | UN aid resolution and diplomatic efforts could yield some relief for Gaza
- Do Wind Farms Really Affect Property Values? A New Study Provides the Most Substantial Answer to Date.
- John Krasinski Details Moment He Knew Wife Emily Blunt Was “the One”
- Aaron Rodgers' recovery story proves he's as good a self-promoter as he is a QB
- Strong winds from Storm Pia disrupt holiday travel in the UK as Eurostar hit by unexpected strike
- Turkish central bank raises interest rate 42.5% to combat high inflation
Recommendation
-
Mike Tyson employs two trainers who 'work like a dream team' as Jake Paul fight nears
-
When does Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 1 end and Season 2 begin?
-
WHO declares new JN.1 COVID strain a variant of interest. Here's what that means.
-
Two county officials in Arizona plead not guilty to charges for delaying 2022 election certification
-
Isiah Pacheco injury updates: When will Chiefs RB return?
-
US defense secretary makes unannounced visit to USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier defending Israel
-
You'll Be Late Night Talking About Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine's The Idea of You Teaser
-
Pakistan arrests activists to stop them from protesting in Islamabad against extrajudicial killings