Louisiana Gov. Landry issues disaster declaration amid crawfish shortage

• Republican Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry on Wednesday issued a disaster declaration for the crawfish industry as the crawfish shortage continues.
• Drought, unseasonably warm weather and salt water intrusion are believed to be the reasons for the relatively low number of so-called “mud bugs” in this year’s crop.
• “All 365,000 acres of crawfish in Louisiana are affected by these conditions,” Landry’s written statement said. “That’s why I’m issuing a disaster declaration. The crawfish industry needs all the help it can get right now.”

Amid a shortage of crawfish in Louisiana, the nation’s largest producer of the shellfish essential to Gulf Coast seafood boils, Gov. Jeff Landry on Wednesday issued a disaster declaration for the affected industry.

Last year’s drought, heatwave, saltwater intrusion into the Mississippi River, and a severe winter freeze in the bayou state devastated this year’s crawfish harvest, leading to a significant spike in prices for those buying the “mudbugs.” It led to Landry said the shortage is not only impacting Louisiana’s economy but also “our way of life.”

“All 365,000 acres of crawfish in Louisiana are affected by these conditions,” Landry said in a written statement Wednesday. “That’s why I’m issuing a disaster declaration. The crawfish industry needs all the help it can get right now.”

Louisiana state government declares state of emergency due to lack of police

Landry’s disaster declaration is a legal basis to help secure federal funding and comes on the heels of a request from Louisiana’s congressional delegation to release federal aid to help farmers return home. Ta.

In a typical year, Louisiana produces between 175 million and 200 million pounds of crawfish, contributing $500 million a year to the state’s economy, according to the governor’s office.

But amid a severe drought and heatwave in 2023, one of the country’s normally wettest states experienced its driest conditions. As a result, the weather has dried out the soil in which the crayfish burrow to lay their eggs.

Louisiana State University’s Agriculture Center estimates potential losses to the state’s crawfish industry at nearly $140 million.

“Louisiana’s crawfish industry is not only an economic driver for our state, it is a deep part of our cultural heritage,” said Mike Strain, Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

Crayfish have been commercially fished in the state since at least the 1800s, and are typically abundant in Louisiana during late winter and spring.

The tail meat of the small lobster-like crustacean is used fresh or frozen in a variety of dishes, including crawfish etouffee, gumbo, and po’boys. However, the most popular way to eat it is by boiling it with corn or potatoes and various seasonings. Crayfish boils, where pounds of freshly cooked shellfish are poured onto communal tables, are popular during Carnival season and Lent, when many people in heavily Catholic south Louisiana seek alternatives to meat.

But this year, Strain said some Mardi Gras celebrations continued without eating crawfish, which are rare and out of reach for many.

This time last year, a pound of boiled crawfish cost $3 to $5. The Advocate reports that restaurants across the state are currently selling it for $10 to $12 per pound.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“Due to persistent drought in 2023 and subfreezing temperatures in early 2024, crawfish are completely unavailable for the first time in many years,” Strain wrote in a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack last week. said.