Invasive Snails Threatening Louisiana's Crawfish Population

By Bess Casserleigh

WBRZ

BATON ROUGE - The thing that has the potential to wipe out the crawfish industry in Louisiana was once a staple in home aquariums.

The apple snail is an invasive species that has taken over parts of the state. Researchers at the LSU Ag Center have been studying the snail's effects on crawfish farms, and they are worried.

"The number of farms that are currently infested is low, but the impact of those infestations is very large," assistant professor Blake Wilson said.

In Jefferson Davis and Vermilion parish, farmers have had to drain their ponds due to the overwhelming amount of snails.

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