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

Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Species

Gulf Shrimp

Several species of warmwater (penaeid) shrimp are found in Gulf of Mexico, including white shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus), brown shrimp (Farfantepenaeus aztecus),  pink shrimp (Farfantepenaeus duorarum), royal red shrimp (Pleoticus robustus or Hymenopenaeus robustus), and rock shrimp (Sicyonia brevirostris).

Gulf shrimp are harvested from Florida to Texas. According to NOAA's Fisheries Economics of the United States 2009, Gulf of Mexico shrimpers averaged $409 million in landings revenue from 2000 to 2009.

During the period, shrimp was the most valuable catch for fishermen in Alabama, West Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. Louisiana fishermen landed the most shrimp, exceeding 100 million pounds annually.

Declines of gulf shrimp landings and values during the period were due to falling ex-vessel prices.

Roughly 68 percent of of the shrimp harvested in the USA comes from the Gulf of Mexico.

Five Years of Disaster in the Gulf of Mexico

Five years ago, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita made landfall and became one of the most destructive disasters in U.S. history, ravaging the Gulf of Mexico coastline. Especially hard hit were the states of Louisiana and Mississippi.

Impacts were seen thru major decreases in landings of fish, shrimp, oysters and other seafood. Landing values for the following year showed losses in the millions, compared to the previous five year average's values. Although the Gulf of Mexico sea food industry suffered severe losses, it endured and regained great strength.

Again in 2010 disaster struck the Gulf of Mexico when the BP Deepwater Horizon incident became the largest oil spill in U.S. history.

Although these events have affected thousands of lives, the valiant people of the Gulf Coast will continue to provide fresh seafood to the USA.

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.

Louisiania Food Banks Seek Donations

The Louisiana Department of Social Services is encouraging Louisianians to donate canned and non-perishable food items to area food banks, who will help distribute the items to fishermen, families and others who find themselves in need.

"For many Louisiana citizens who earn their living from the Gulf and coastal waters, this tragedy comes at the worst time," said DSS Secretary Kristy Nichols. "Many fishermen, shrimpers and oystermen earn the bulk of their incomes during short seasons of the year and are unable to work because of the current situation."

To quickly respond to the needs of individuals and families along the coastline, DSS is partnering with Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana to collect and distribute goods to those in need. Second Harvest accepts donations of canned and non-perishable food at 700 Edwards Avenue in New Orleans.

Suggested food donations include:

    * peanut butter
    * soups / stews
    * canned fruits / vegetables
    * canned meats (chicken, beef, ham)
    * tuna fish
    * chili
    * cereal
    * hot cereals (grits, oatmeal)
    * beans
    * juice
    * rice
    * pasta
    * shelf stable milk

Additionally, Second Harvest accepts monetary donations. You can give securely on the Second Harvest website, no-hunger.org, by phone at (504) 729-2858, or by mail at Second Harvest Food Bank, Greater New Orleans & Acadiana, 700 Edwards Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70123.

Annually, Second Harvest feeds approximately 262,800 people across 23 south Louisiana parishes.

For more on the BP oil spill, the Gulf of Mexico disaster and ways to help, visit this BP Horizon Deepwater Oil Spill page.

Louisiana Closes Fishing Areas and Oyster Beds

On April 30, 2010, the Louisiana departments of Health and Hospitals, and Wildlife and Fisheries, announced they will be closing select fishing areas and oyster harvesting beds as a precautionary response to the oil spill in the Gulf.

"I signed this emergency closure today as a proactive effort to prevent any oil-tainted fish, shrimp or crab from being caught and thus consumed," said LDWF Secretary Robert Barham.

The oyster closure order will take effect at sunset today, Friday, April 30, 2010. DHH and LDWF, the state's oyster harvesters and the Louisiana Oyster Task Force are cooperating to ensure the safety of oysters taken from areas currently not affected by the spill.

"Oysters that are still coming out of the many unaffected beds across the Louisiana coast are being watched closely," Dr. Guidry said. "All of the beds that remain open are safe."

Updates on any further closures or changes in the status of areas closed will be posted at emergency.louisiana.gov.

For more information, visit:
www.dhh.louisiana.gov.
www.wlf.louisiana.gov.