Fishermen, processors, distributors, economic developers, and public officials are being invited to Baton Rouge to discuss findings from more than three years of research done in Louisiana’s coastal and inland fisheries at the launch of the Louisiana’s Freshwater Seafood Economic Development Report. Photo: LDWF
by Ed Lallo/Gulf Seafood News
Fishermen, processors, distributors, economic developers, and public officials are being invited to Baton Rouge to discuss findings from more than three years of research done in Louisiana’s coastal and inland fisheries at the launch of the Louisiana’s Freshwater Seafood Economic Development Report. The original study, Community Economic Development in Rural Coastal Acadiana Parishes, was conducted in 2018-19, prior to the four hurricanes devastating the state’s seafood industry.
Louisiana’s wild-caught catfish industry is one of the fastest growing fisheries in the state. Photo: Ed Lallo/Gulf Seafood News
With an economic impact of more than $2 billion, commercial seafood accounts for one out of every 70 jobs in the state, driving economic development. It is the foundation of the culture of Louisiana. The destruction from storm after storm after storm has left the future of the industry in doubt.
“Since 2018 researchers from the University of Louisiana Lafayette, Louisiana Sea Grant, and Meridian Institute has been conducting interviews with key players in both Louisiana’s coastal and central freshwater seafood industries,” explained Dr. Geoff Stewart of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration. “ Our team has wrapped up its studies of the Central Louisiana Fisheries Supply Chain. We have gathered recommendations to streamline and expand seafood harvesting, processing, and distribution throughout the state. We are looking forward to discussing these and other issues at the launch of the Freshwater Seafood Economic Development Report.”
Stewart went on to say, “After releasing a set of strategies for Louisiana’s coastal fisheries in 2020, we developed the complementary report detailing economic development strategies for central Louisiana’s freshwater fisheries.”
The seafood project covering all of Louisiana’s coastal parishes consisted of four key elements:
- Evaluating the seafood supply chain.
- Engaging with small and large-scale operators across the seafood industry.
- Coordinating with state and parish leader to identify recommendations to bolster resilient economic development.
- Developing strategies for seafood economic development in the region
The markets for crawfish, both farmed and wild-caught, continue to grow outside of the state. Photo: Ed Lallo/Gulf Seafood News
“The true impact of Louisiana’s seafood industry has never been fully appreciated,” said Stewart. “This industry has significantly contributed to the preservation of an indigenous culture and way of life that shapes the image of the state, thus warranting attention as a key industry in the state’s future strategic planning.”
Six supply chain priorities needed to ensure the region’s future economic development were uncovered for the industry to survive, grow and help maintain the area’s unique culture.
- Increase its ability to manage and recover from disasters
- Align with economic development initiatives at the local and state levels
- Modernize its distribution and logistic capabilities
- Innovate operations and introduce new products
- Distinguish the area products from cheap alternatives through marketing and branding
- New ways to attract and retain the next generation of workers able to replace an aging industry.
“After Hurricane Katrina, and again the BP Deepwater Horizon spill, we surveyed the seafood community across the state and found very similar results,” Ewell Smith, former executive director of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board and member of the Louisiana Fishing Community Recovery Coalition told Gulf Seafood News after the release of the original report. “This study confirms the issues and problems facing the Gulf seafood industry and sheds light on opportunities we have before us.”
Funding for the studies came from the grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Business Development and the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board.
Event Registration
Industry discussion at the release of the Louisiana’s Freshwater Seafood Economic Development Report will take place in Baton Rouge on May 24th at 5:30 pm at the Pentagon Barracks Courtyard, 702 River Road in Baton Rouge. To register for the event click here.
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