June 20, 2022 — Louisiana is an economic ecosystem of wetlands, waterways and generations that work them. A place where the livelihoods of commercial fishermen, seafood processors and restaurateurs all intertwine. Linking them all—from Lake Pontchartrain to the Atchafalaya Basin to the Gulf Coast—is a life source.

“Everything is tied to the water,” said Tracy Kuhns, President of the GO FISH Coalition, formed after the BP oil spill in 2010 as an advocate for commercial fishing. “It’s  just part of your everyday life. The way you live.”

Industry Advocates

These days, fishing for a living can be harder than normal, as evidenced by storms that continue to ravage the industry and reverse fortunes. Businesses have yet to recover from the devastation of Hurricane Ida, a Category 4 storm. The aftermath still scars the state.

Its destruction compounded earlier damage from hurricanes Laura, Delta and Zeta. Occurring in 2020 and 2021, those four storms caused $579 million in losses, according to Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries.

Seven months after Ida, Kuhns reflects on the long-term impact, noting “the economic base is the natural resources down here.” One needs the other intact to survive, to prosper.

“Captain Mike and his wife Tracie have passion and dedication to preserve the seafood heritage of the Barateria-Jean Lafitte area,” said Ewell Smith, a member of the Gulf Seafood Foundation and Louisiana Fishing Community Recovery Coalition.

Read the full story at the Gulf Seafood Foundation