Louisiana Seafood Facts

The following article includes statistics, facts, and other information about the Louisiana seafood industry.

Louisiana is the top producer of shrimp, oysters, blue crabs, crawfish, and alligator in the USA.

Other seafood includes dozens of species of fish ranging from mullet to tuna.

Jobs and Economic Impacts

The Louisiana seafood industry is a vital sector of the state’s economy.

One in 70 jobs in Louisiana is related to the seafood industry.

Seafood-related employment has an economic impact of over $2.4 billion annually for Louisiana.

The Louisiana shrimp industry accounts for 15,000 jobs and an annual impact of $1.3 billion.

The Louisiana commercial oyster industry accounts for almost 4,000 jobs with an economic impact of $317 million annually.

The Louisiana blue crab fishery accounts for more than 3,000 jobs with an annual economic impact of $293 million.

Louisiana has more than 1,000 crawfish farmers and more than 800 commercial fishermen who harvest wild crawfish.

Louisiana's combined harvest of crawfish totals 110 million pounds each year with an annual economic impact of $120 million.

The combined harvest of 313,000 wild and farmed Louisiana alligators generates a total annual economic impact of $104 million.

source: www.louisianaseafood.com

More Information

Louisiana Commercial Fishing

Crayfish Holding Tanks

After harvesting their catch, some crayfish harvesters prefer to hold crawfish for a few days. Confinement is done to clean and purge these tiny shellfish before cooking. Bait tanks or other containment systems are also used to keep a constant supply of crayfish for fishing bait.

When maintaining populations of live crayfish, a number of challenges are likely to be encountered. Cannibalism can be a major problem when quantities of individuals are confined together. Although cannibalism cannot be eliminated, the behavior can be minimized through a number of practices.

Access to food and shelter appear to help curb cannibalism, as do habitats that keep crayfish active. In addition to cannibalism, crayfish are subject to predation from birds, raccoons, and other wildlife. When crayfish are kept outside, these threats can be a serious problem.

Water quality can be an issue, especially during hot weather. To minimize mortality, crayfish tanks must be kept clean and the water changed often. Most closed systems require frequent maintenance in order to perform correctly.

One of the simplest systems for keeping crayfish alive can be rigged by equipping a large cooler with a few additional components. A small garden fountain pump can be added to circulate water. If possible shelter should also be added to a crayfish storage tank. Objects such as oyster shells, whelk shells, stones, or pottery make suitable shelters for crayfish.

When holding crayfish, the decision to feed or not is usually based on the intended use. If the intent is to purge crayfish briefly before cooking, feeding may not be necessary. In other cases, it may be desirable to feed crayfish every day or two in order to maintain peak condition. Popular foods include corn, rice, or small amounts of plant vegetation.

As an alternative to bait tanks or other closed containers, some enthusiasts store crayfish in pens or cages which are located in nearby ponds or creeks. As with bait tanks, these storage methods are subject to problems such as cannibalism, outside predation, and water quality fluctuations. Crayfish pens cages should be located out of direct sunlight when possible.

Despite their challenges, crayfish holding setups can be extremely useful on a small scale. They can provide a reliable source of fishing bait as well as fresh crayfish for the table. Tanks, pens, and other systems can also be used for storing baitfish or other aquatic life.

How to Cook Crawfish

Live Crawfish

To prepare live crawfish for the table, wash in cool, clean water. Discard any dead or non-responsive individuals. After washing, the crawfish can be blanched in boiling water for about five minutes.

Boiling cooks the meat, kills bacteria and turns the crawfish a brilliant red color. Crawfish can also be steamed, although the process takes longer than boiling.

Once cooked, crawfish may be served hot or cold. The meat is removed from the claws and tail and eaten as is or used in gumbo, etouffee, and other dishes.

Crawfish boils and festivals are a popular tradition in Louisiana and other southern states.