June 27, 2022 — Hurricane Ida, and three others in two years, has thrown the Gulf seafood industry into turmoil. Add to that Covid, unprecedented fuel prices, new state and federal fishing regulations, inflation and a tight labor market; the result has been astronomical seafood costs for both the individual consumer and restaurants across the country.
“Restaurants are having a hard time putting oysters and other Gulf seafood on the menu because prices are so high,” said Harlon Pearce owner of Harlon’s LA Fish in New Orleans and chair of the Louisiana Fishing Community Recovery Coalition. “What is sad is restaurants that would have never considered buying imported seafood, are now buying imports.”
Hurricanes Laura, Delta, Zeta, and Ida, made landfall in coastal Louisiana causing vital infrastructure losses of approximately $600 million to a region of national importance for domestic fisheries and seafood production. Since forming in December of year last, the coalition has been seeking ways to rebuild that infrastructure, as well as prevent losses from future storms.
“Infrastructure can be many things to different people. We have to rebuild docks that are buying product, and they have to be rebuilt better, stronger and higher,” explained Pearce. “That’s just part of the infrastructure we need. We need bridges that are better and stronger; in Lafitte they lost the only bridge connecting them to Barataria. Those are just two needs of a very long list.”
Read the full story at Gulf Seafood News