Local and National Experts Discuss Impacts of Seafood Industry in Louisiana

(BATON ROUGE, La.)- The Environment and Health Council of Louisiana cordially invites local fishermen, shrimpers, and agricultural specialists to attend our “Seafood and Louisiana” conference, an event where local and national experts will speak on the ongoing issues impacting Louisiana’s seafood industry.

The conference will take place on Thursday, November 6 at the new Coastal Center on the campus of Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana. Beginning at 8 a.m., Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries experts along with state officials will speak on various topics related to Louisiana’s seafood industry. The conference is free and open to the public. Registration is available here.

Individual speakers include Louisiana Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry Dr. Mike Strain, Dr. Christopher Bonvillain of Nicholls and Dr. Prashant Singh, a professor at Florida State University and Chief Technical Officer for SeaD Consulting. As part of his presentation, Dr. Singh will perform a live demonstration of rapid DNA tests he developed to quickly and accurately identify seafood species.

“Seafood is intrinsic to life and community here in coastal Louisiana, and we share our harvests with restaurants all around the country and world,” says EHCL President and Nicholls Professor Dr. John Doucet. “Yet our harvests share the same waters as industry and tropical disturbances. It’s important then that we lend our voices and ears to understand industry and consumer issues. And the new Coastal Center at the Louisiana university “Closest to the Coast” is the perfect place to learn from these issues.”

Strain has served as the state’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry since 2008. He earned a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from LSU and maintained a successful veterinary practice while serving in multiple civic and professional organizations, many that were devoted to agriculture and livestock. Strain previously served as a State Representative in the Louisiana Legislature for two terms.

Dr. Bonvillain is a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Nicholls State University. He is also the Director of University Graduate. Dr. Bonvillain’s research focuses on the ecology and biology of Louisiana’s 39 native species of crayfish. He also works closely with The Nature Conservancy to study environmental effects on crayfish in the Atchafalaya River Basin.

Dr. Singh is a renowned food safety biologist. His collaboration with SeaD Consulting throughout the years allowed him to develop a rapid test that can reveal whether shrimp is domestic or imported in as little as two hours. Samples are examined for the presence of a gene specific to the Atlantic white shrimp to determine authenticity. His research comes at the heels of a national effort to combat seafood mislabeling and reroute business back to local shrimpers.

The Environment and Health Council of Louisiana is a nonprofit organization founded in 1983 to facilitate independent, balanced, and factual assessments of health issues related to the environmental and economic well-being of Louisiana. The organization is governed by a voluntary board of directors representing business, government, academic, industry and nonprofit organizations. For more information, registration and a complete agenda visit our website at www.ehcla.org.