Bill Restricting Access to Waterways Concerns Crawfishermen and Fishermen
Crawfishermen and fishermen are concerned about a bill passing through the legislature that will put restrictions on public waterways.
On Wednesday, the bill was presented in the House Natural Resources Committee and passed 9-3.
“If the voters vote in favor of it, it’s going to change the Louisiana constitution, and what it is going to do is it’s going to allow the state to enter into boundary agreements with riparian land owners to put boundaries in the water. Water we are already supposed to have the right of free use to,” President of the Louisiana Crawfish Producers Association Jody Meche said.
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The New South Franklin Catfish Festival Is Coming to Wisner
The South Franklin Catfish Festival is coming to Wisner this Saturday, May 1, 2021. It will offer the community a variety of options. The festival is new to the community of Wisner.
It originated after the original Franklin Catfish Festival was hit by a severe storm, the COVID-19 Pandemic, and a huge financial loss. Officials eventually called it quits in 2020, after serving the Winnsboro community for more than 30 years.
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Invasive Snails Threatening Louisiana's Crawfish Population
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.
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A Visit to a Crawfish Farm, Moss Bluff Students Get First-Hand Look at Process
A crawfish farm tour Thursday gave students from First Baptist Christian Academy in Moss Bluff a chance to see first-hand how Louisiana's favorite food goes from the field to the dinner table.
Fifteen second-graders and their parents, along with visitors from Oklahoma and Arkansas, spent the morning touring a local crawfish farm and processing plant as part of an agriculture tour sponsored by the Jeff Davis Parish Tourism Commission. The tours run from March to May, during the crawfish harvest season.
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$12.3 Million Available for Louisiana Fisheries Assistance
Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced Tuesday $12,339,916 in funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries to assist fisheries across Louisiana. The funding is provided by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 and will support activities that have been authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
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Here's How the Harsh Winter Impacts Louisiana's Crawfish Season
The winter brought an ice storm and multiple days of freezing temperatures to south Louisiana, which had an impact on crawfish season across the state.
Prices are a bit higher than they have been in years previous but now, local restaurants and crawfish farmers are finally catching up to speed.
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Crawfish Compost
Spring is crawfish season in Louisiana. Here in Cajun Country, locals eat crawfish a variety of ways—boiled and spiced, in étouffée over rice, stuffed in pastry pies, or in gumbo and casseroles. Crawfish farmer Jimbo Hundley has discovered another use for the mudbugs—as nutrient-rich compost.
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Shrimp Season to Open in a Portion of State Outside Waters on March 26
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced that the portion of state outside waters between Calliou Boca and the Atchafalaya River Ship Channel at Eugene Island shall reopen to shrimping at 6:00 p.m. on March 26, 2021.
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2021 Frog Festival Cancelled; Chamber Plans 50th Celebration
Rough is an understatement for businesses and organizations during the past year as COVID-19 mandates and restrictions have limited events and “business as usual” due to the coronavirus pandemic. Like many, the Rayne Chamber was hit especially hard.
The main hit the Chamber took last year was the cancellation of the 2020 Frog Festival, one that was sure to be a big hit with additional special events and musical entertainment that would have drawn an overflow crowd.
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Crawfish Catch and Size Increase After Winter Weather Delayed Harvest for a Week
Winter weather temporarily froze crawfish harvesting and its market, but spring weather has started to melt away the effects as the catch and size increase.
The arctic air brought freezing temperatures, power outages and water-access issues across most of Louisiana. As a result, many of Acadiana's ponds had a thin layer of ice on the surface.
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2021 Mid-South Agricultural Labor Virtual Seminar Tuesday, March 9, 2021
Due to the COVID - 19 virus, the 2021 Mid South Agricultural Labor Seminar will be conducted this year as a Zoom Virtual Seminar on Tuesday, March 9, 2021 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. There is no registration fee to attend. This year, with new employer responsibilities due to the COVID virus, this year’s topics will focus on important current issues such as COVID pay, OSHA Regulations and Reporting Requirements and Housing.
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Crawfish Crop Expected to Bounce Back After Freeze; North Louisiana Cattle Not So Lucky
The LSU AgCenter is surveying agricultural producers to estimate damage totals resulting from last month’s freezing weather.
The recent freezing weather came just as farmers were getting back on their feet from last year’s disastrous hurricane season.
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LSU AgCenter Assessing Freeze Damage to Crops, Livestock, Crawfish
The LSU AgCenter is surveying agricultural producers to estimate damage totals resulting from last month’s freezing weather.
The recent freezing weather came just as farmers were getting back on their feet from last year’s disastrous hurricane season.
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Evangeline Parish Recovers from Latest Round of Winter Storms
Just four months after reeling from back-to-back hurricanes that dealt powerful punches, Evangeline Parish was hit by another storm that caused different types of issues from the usual damage. This storm was a major winter event that hit the area over the Mardi Gras holiday.
The freeze has also impacted the livestock here in the parish. Ryegrass, a commonly grown winter forage grass, was severely damaged by the cold temperatures. This causes livestock producers to have feed supplemental feed which can get expensive. Producers also had to feed more to keep their animals warm. There are also reports of calves dying after being born in the frozen conditions.
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Cameron Company Accused of Illegally Harvesting Oysters from Calcasieu Lake
A Cameron Parish company, as well as 12 Louisiana residents, have been indicted in federal court for illegally harvesting and selling raw oysters.
Bay Fresh Oyster Company and its 12 co-defendants are accused of harvesting raw oysters from Calcasieu Lake in violation of Louisiana law from March 1, 2019, through May 5, 2019, then falsifying records for oysters intended to be transported in interstate commerce, according to information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Lafayette.
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