A new partnership between Nicholls State University and the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will help streamline study of the changing environment along the Gulf of Mexico.

The university and the federal government are teaming up to develop a database of south Louisiana and Gulf Coast research, which will include oral histories and regional and cultural knowledge of the coast.

A line of cars wrapped around Louisiana Crawfish Time in Lafayette Friday night as many stayed true to their Lent traditions.

"My wife says she has to have crawfish on Fridays, so we're stuck in line getting crawfish," Michael Heard said.

Although Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent and Catholic and Christian people in Acadiana would normally turn to crawfish to avoid eating red meat, the recent cold weather is getting in the way.

A farmer in Crowley hasn’t been out on the ponds since Feb. 12. Crawfish farmers are now waiting and hoping for warmer days to resume production.

While the cold may be affecting road conditions, water pipes, plants and pets, there’s one thing it’s not affecting - crawfish.

Crawfish season has been off to a pretty good start, and experts are hopeful that will continue, even with the cold weather. Kevin Savoie, Fisheries Agent for the LSU AgCenter explains, crawfish being cold-blooded, take on the temperature of the water.

It's been 19 years since Louisiana, stung by a $1 billion court judgment, last opened its water bottoms for new oyster leases. But the state is now lifting its moratorium, raising hopes among oyster harvesters who have endured a series of setbacks from Mother Nature as well as the BP oil disaster.

The temperatures are dropping just as crawfish season is about to heat up. The current forecast of freezing temperatures in the coming days isn't the best for the crawfish industry. Crawfish farmer David Savoy tells KATC the water in his ponds is below 50 degrees.

Parades, revelry, masks, and food — it’s Mardi Gras, and everyone gets to be a New Orleanian for a day… even in SoCal! And once again, The Other Door bar is going all out for the occasion. This SoCal bar is flying in hundreds of pounds of fresh Louisiana seafood for their special to-go version of a Mardi Gras crawfish boil.

To increase the number of oysters spawning on public water bottoms, Louisiana plans to forbid harvesting on four artificial reefs east of the Mississippi River in St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes.

The Wildlife and Fisheries Commission passed a Notice of Intent (NOI) to add four proposed recreational oyster broodstock reefs to Louisiana Administrative Code (LAC) 76:VII.537, which restricts all oyster harvest on reefs listed under that rule.

The Direct Enhancement of Snapper Conservation and the Economy through Novel Devices Act of 2020 (DESCEND Act of 2020) was signed into law on January 13, 2021. The new Act will require commercial and recreational vessels (including for-hire) to have a venting tool or descending device rigged and ready to use when fishing for reef fish species in Gulf of Mexico Federal waters.