The U.S. crayfish industry faces drought and high temperatures, which may cause losses of US$140 million

Fresh Crayfish

United States

Sustainability & Environmental Impact

Market & Price Trends

Published Dec 21, 2023

Tridge summary

The Louisiana crawfish industry is expected to suffer a $140 million loss due to drought and high temperatures, affecting nearly 45,000 acres of crawfish ponds. Saltwater intrusion and lack of water have also led to the inability to fish another 43,000 acres of ponds in some southern parts of the state. The high temperatures and drought have led to uncertainties in the crayfish industry, with crayfish showing up later than usual and increased salinity levels in waterways.

Disclaimer: The above summary was generated by a state-of-the-art LLM model and is intended for informational purposes only. It is recommended that readers refer to the original article for more context.

Original content

Drought and high temperatures could cost Louisiana's crawfish industry nearly $140 million this year, according to a new analysis from Louisiana State University (LSU). Estimates from the LSU Agriculture Center show the drought affected about 45,000 acres of crawfish ponds, and another 43,000 acres that farmers were unable to fish due to saltwater intrusion or lack of water. Lafayette's KATC TV station reports that in some southern parts of the state, thousands of acres of crawfish ponds remain dry due to high salinity levels in surface waters. Todd Fontenot, extension crawfish specialist at the LSU Agriculture Center, told KATC pointed out that this year's high temperatures and drought have left the crayfish industry in uncharted waters. Fontenot said: "A lot of people are saying they are seeing more crayfish showing up now. They are showing up later than usual, which may have something to do with the season starting later than usual. There are a lot of unknown ...

Source: Foodmate