Crawfish aquaculture is the most profitable aquaculture endeavor in Louisiana, representing roughly 69% of the total gross farm value generated across all commercial aquaculture enterprises in 2022, according to the Louisiana Summary Agriculture and Natural Resources 2022. Crawfish producers in south Louisiana create a suitable wetland habitat for crawfish to survive, reproduce and grow to harvest size in shallow water impoundments used for both crawfish and rice.
Read MoreLouisiana’s new law that requires that imported seafood be clearly labeled on packaging and menus will start to be enforced by the Louisiana Department of Health.
Act 372 mandates that if a retailer, restaurant, or supplier is selling imported shrimp, crawfish or other seafood it must clearly be labeled. The state Department of Agriculture will begin looking for such labels during their regular weights and measures checks.
Read MoreThe LSU AgCenter and Louisiana Sea Grant will hold the Louisiana Regional Fisheries Summit March 25 in Slidell.
The daylong event, which will focus on freshwater impacts in the Pontchartrain Basin, will provide information relevant to the commercial and recreation-for-hire fishing industries.
Read MoreWhile this year’s crawfish harvest is projected to be a successful one, LSU AgCenter Aquaculture Specialist Mark Shirley says it could be compromised with the upcoming freezing cold temperatures.
“Usually when we have cold weather like we’re expecting next week, it probably will slow down the catch for several days,” Shirley said.
Read MoreA new law is now in affect across the state requiring restaurants to provide transparency on where they are sourcing their seafood.
Louisiana Law Act 148 became effective on Jan. 1, and requires restaurants that serve seafood to have the origins of their seafood listed on their menus.
Read MoreOn a warm Saturday in October, conservationist Dean Wilson guided his boat through a channel in the Atchafalaya Basin, pointing out hollowed-out Bald cypress trees where minks, raccoons and otters nest during high water.
The basin is the largest remaining contiguous track of wetland forest in North America — and a place Wilson knows well.
Read MoreThe U.S. International Trade Commission recently approved tariffs on frozen warm water shrimp imports from Ecuador, India, Vietnam and Indonesia, aiming to counteract the damage these imports are inflicting on the domestic shrimping industry.
David Chauvin, a Louisiana-based seafood company owner, highlighted the disparity.
Read MoreMove over, Christmas – crawfish season has arrived.
It’s here much earlier than usual, as harvesting operations across the state usually begin around January.
This is great news for fans of crawdads, especially compared to last year when a severe drought affected crawfish farms across the state, leading to a surge in prices and shorter inventory.
Read MoreLast year's crawfish season faced many challenges due to drought and extreme temperatures, leading to a sharp decline in the harvest. However, local crawfish farmers are feeling optimistic about this upcoming season due to early signs of a stronger season.
Read MoreAs the holiday season approaches, Louisiana is gearing up for the return of one of its most beloved traditions soon after: crawfish season. While it’s not quite here yet, experts are optimistic that the 2025 season will bring an early and plentiful harvest, a welcome change from last year’s challenges.
Read MoreDozens of high school students and other volunteers spent Friday morning stuffing recycled oyster shells into mesh bags — the first step in a plan to create a "living reef" to fight land loss along the coast in South Louisiana.
The anti-erosion effort is the largest in a series of environmental projects in Louisiana coordinated by the NFL before thousands of football fans flock to New Orleans in February for the Super Bowl.
Read MoreFloating cages with fish by the thousands may be popping in the Gulf of Mexico under a controversial plan that was backed by President-elect Donald Trump’s administration four years ago and is likely to gain traction again after Trump begins his second term next month.
Read MoreAs the holiday season approaches, Louisiana is gearing up for the return of one of its most beloved traditions soon after: crawfish season. While it’s not quite here yet, experts are optimistic that the 2025 season will bring an early and plentiful harvest, a welcome change from last year’s challenges.
Todd Fontenot, a crawfish specialist with the LSU AgCenter, has been closely monitoring crawfish farms across the state. The good news? Crawfish are emerging earlier than they did last year, setting the stage for a strong season ahead.
Read MoreWith Thanksgiving over, it's almost time for a season that nearly every person in Louisiana's appetite is craving: crawfish season.
Todd Fontenot, a crawfish agent who works with the LSU AgCenter, tells WBRZ he's been talking to crawfish farmers around the state to learn how this season will compare to last season.
He says this year's outlook is much better.
Read MoreIrish writer Jonathan Swift once wrote, “He was a bold man that first ate an oyster.”
And maybe he was right. Heck, it took me 37 years to muster up the courage to take the plunge—into raw oysters, at least.
If you’re going to cross this cultural bridge into the world of oyster slurping, there’s no better place than the Gulf Coast of Louisiana, which is where I found myself for this month’s Feasting on Agriculture.
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