Saving Seafood

LOUISIANA: US FDA issues recall of Louisiana oysters due to norovirus illnesses

February 7, 2025 — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning retailers and restaurants not to sell certain oysters that could be contaminated with norovirus after 15 people became ill in Louisiana, U.S.A.

On 5 February, the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) closed an oyster shellfish harvesting area in Area 3 and ordered a recall of all oysters harvested from that area since 10 January 2025. Fifteen people became ill with a norovirus-like illness after eating oysters from Area 3 across several New Orleans, Louisiana, restaurants between 15 and 31 January, the LDH said.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

LOUISIANA: Investigation uncovers shrimp fraud in Louisiana ahead of Super Bowl LIX

February 5, 2025 — The Super Bowl brings an influx of visitors Louisiana, and many will be indulging in the state’s world-famous local seafood, from po’ boys to gumbo. However, a recent study conducted by SEAD Consulting has uncovered that some restaurants have “dropped the ball” when claiming to serve authentic Gulf shrimp and being honest with their customers.

Of the 24 randomly selected seafood restaurants tested in New Orleans that explicitly advertised their shrimp as “Gulf” or “authentic”, three were found to be mislabeling their product and serving farm-raised imports instead. While this 13% fraud rate is the lowest recorded to date in SEAD Consulting’s multi-state study, the nature of the deception in New Orleans is particularly striking, and highlights the need for increased enforcement.

“While New Orleans has the lowest shrimp fraud rate we’ve seen in our multi-state study so far, the deception we did uncover is particularly blatant,” said Erin Williams, COO of SEAD Consulting. “These restaurants aren’t just using suggestive imagery and
wording—they are explicitly marketing their shrimp as ‘Gulf’ or ‘authentic’ while serving something else. A 13% fraud rate means that if you order eight shrimp dishes advertised as local, chances are one of them isn’t what it claims to be.”

Offshore wind companies pitch projects in the Gulf of Mexico, signaling interest in region

December 16, 2024 — After a period of stagnation for the offshore wind sector, a federal agency just announced that two new areas in the Gulf of Mexico have attracted interest from energy companies — a hopeful sign for a fledgling industry that Louisiana has sought to boost.

The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, or BOEM, which oversees offshore wind development, said Thursday that two areas off the coast of Southeast Texas have “competitive interest” for future business after two companies expressed interest in building wind farms there.

The 142,000 acres of note will likely be included in the next wind lease auction, scheduled for 2026, alongside other Gulf areas identified as apt for the technology.

While the companies’ proposed wind farms most likely would not supply energy to Louisiana, they suggest that the industry is eyeing the Gulf region for future projects.

Read the full article at NOLA

Why Texas gets 9 miles of off-shore territory but Louisiana gets 3 — and how it could change

December 2, 2024 — U.S. Rep. Garret Graves intends to sprint toward the finish line for the 118th Congress, which convenes Monday and disbands in a month, by pushing an issue he has been working since he was a Capitol Hill staffer 20 years ago.

“This has been an ongoing effort for me, for many years, to give Louisiana parity,” Graves said.

Graves, a Baton Rouge Republican who steps down when the 119th Congress assumes office on Jan. 3, teamed with Rep. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans, on a bill that would give Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama the same offshore sovereignty as Texas and Florida — moving the boundary line from three nautical miles to nine — thereby allowing Louisiana control of more energy exploration and fishing rights.

Graves said last week in announcing the Offshore Parity Act of 2024, “I’m not sure who was negotiating for us generations ago, but that is just ridiculous.”

History, rather than bonehead negotiators, played a greater role in setting state sovereignty over offshore waters.

Read the full story at NOLA.com

Fish kills following Hurricane Francine

September 19, 2024 — The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) requests the public’s help spotting fish kills that may occur throughout south-central and southeast Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Francine.

Through sampling and monitoring efforts, LDWF biologists have learned that restocking following storms is not usually necessary and will not speed up the recovery process unless there is a complete kill in a closed system. However, we need to know where fish kills occur and how extensive they are to monitor recovery and consider management tools going forward, including habitat restoration or stocking if needed. Please help us by reporting fish kills in your area.

Call 1-800-442-2511 or your local fisheries office to report a fish kill.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

LOUISIANA: Hurricane Francine Reaches Louisiana, Bringing Strong Winds and Heavy Rain to Wider Gulf Coast

September 12, 2024 — Tropical Storm Francine strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane as it moved through the Gulf of Mexico Tuesday night, with maximum sustained winds of 85 miles per hour and gusts of up to 101 mph recorded by an oil platform Wednesday morning, the National Hurricane Center said.

The storm prompted Louisiana residents to move inland, and oil and gas companies to stop a quarter of their production, according to the United States Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, as Reuters reported. Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for several areas.

The hurricane center said hurricane-force winds and life-threatening storm surge were expected to begin this afternoon.

“Outer rainbands are starting to move onshore of the coast of southern Louisiana. These conditions will continue to deteriorate over the next couple of hours. Ensure you are in a safe location before the onset of strong winds or possible flooding,” the National Hurricane Center said.

Read the full article at ecowatch

Gulf Shrimpers Warn New Offshore Wind Interest off Texas, Louisiana Could Harm Industry

August 28, 2024 — An unsolicited proposal from Hecate Energy Gulf Wind for two commercial leases for wind energy development off the coast of Texas and/or Louisiana has raised significant new concerns for the U.S. shrimp industry, the Southern Shrimp Alliance said in a statement.

The Hecate proposal, which may potentially support hydrogen production, has the potential to close fishing grounds, interrupt maritime radar, and harm sensitive species and habitats for which shrimpers are held accountable under federal statutes, according to the SSA.

Read the full article at Seafoodnews.com

USDA announces financial relief for drought-stricken Louisiana crawfish producers

May 15, 2024 — Louisiana crawfish producers suffering from drought conditions now have access to emergency financial relief, following requests from state officials and representatives for federal action.

Last year was a difficult one for Southern crawfish producers, with extreme heat and a subsequent freeze causing a sudden decrease in crawfish production. The Louisiana State University’s Agriculture Center estimated the potential losses from the extreme weather to be nearly USD 140 million [EUR 130 million].

Read the full article at National Fisherman

LOUISIANA: Louisiana declares disaster amid crawfish shortage

March 26, 2024 — The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is offering low-interest federal disaster loans to  crawfish businesses in the U.S. state of Louisiana that were affected by extreme drought after the state’s governor issued a disaster declaration earlier in March 2024.

“The SBA’s mission-driven team stands ready to help Louisiana small businesses affected by the drought and resulting crawfish shortage,” SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman said. “We’re committed to providing federal disaster loans swiftly and efficiently, with a customer-centric approach to help businesses and communities weather this environmental and economic challenge.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource