Louisiana Crawfish Suppliers Struggle to Meet Demand During Peak Season
It’s that time of year again – crawfish season is in full swing. But in Louisiana, the largest crawfish producer in the country, restaurants and seafood suppliers are facing a major challenge: a shortage of crawfish.
Trudy Alexander, owner of Kenner Seafood, has been shipping crawfish around the United States for almost thirty years. Normally, she sells around 10,000 pounds of live crawfish per week. However, this year she has none available and is relying on frozen stock from the previous season.
“In all my years, I’ve never seen a shortage like this,” Alexander said. “The demand for crawfish is off the charts right now.”
Image: A woman is boiling frozen crawfish
The Biggest Time of Year for Crawfish
With Mardi Gras, Lent, and the Super Bowl just around the corner, New Orleans is in the midst of its busiest time of year for crawfish. However, due to the shortage, the only option currently available is frozen Louisiana crawfish.
According to Mike Strain, Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry, the extreme heat during the summer dried out fields and made it difficult for crawfish to survive. The lack of water needed to flood the fields and create a suitable breeding environment has resulted in a diminished supply.
Experts say crawfish will likely be more expensive and harder to find nationwide this year.
Weather Woes for Crawfish Farmers
The recent cold snap in Louisiana has compounded the problem. Crawfish farmers have been unable to catch any crawfish during harvests due to the cold temperatures. Crawfish become dormant in cold weather and do not move towards traps.
“The cold weather puts them in a dormant state and affects their growth significantly,” explains Garrett Frey, a wholesale crawfish seller. “They can’t move or eat, which leads to stunted growth. It’s not ideal for producing large crawfish, which is what everyone wants.”
Wholesale Crawfish Seller Garrett Frey returns to his trap to find no crawfish caught.
Hope for a Crawfish Comeback
Despite the challenges, there is hope for a crawfish rebound. Strain believes that warmer temperatures in Louisiana could help save the season.
“Crawfish thrive in temperatures around 85 degrees. Although they can survive in colder temperatures, they become less active and feed less,” Strain explained. “As the weather warms up, especially close to Easter, they will start eating more and growing faster, making them easier to catch.”
However, due to the shortage in Louisiana, crawfish prices are expected to rise, and availability may be limited across the country.
So if you’re a crawfish lover, you might want to start planning your crawfish boil soon, as this year’s supply is not looking promising.
