January 16, 2024 — Boiled Louisiana crawfish go for as much as $16.99 a pound in the New Orleans metropolitan area. This is as the local crawfish industry faces many problems in this new year.
Seafood businesses said last year’s drought and the freezing weather are the causes.
Denny Lacoste is the owner of Dennis’ Seafood in Metairie. Lacoste said 2024 has not been good for his Metairie business.
Pots that sit in his kitchen would usually hold lots of crawfish this time of year. But right now, they are empty.
“This does not look good right now,” Lacoste said.
The 2023 drought killed crawfish that grow underground. This leaves Lacoste with no mudbugs to sell.
“It’s a big part of the business,” he said. They’re saying they are going to be very expensive and hard to get.”
He said crawfish would cost him $10 a pound wholesale. Lacoste said that is not something he is willing to do.