Archive

Louisiana Seafood Businesses Face More Challenges

Like many small businesses, Motivatit Seafoods relies on seasonal laborers who are legally brought into the U.S. with H-2B visas. But new legislation threatens to cripple the visa program — and deliver yet another blow to Louisiana’s seafood industry.

Louisiana Seafood Celebration Underscores Industry’s Vitality

To kick off a season filled with seafood-themed events, Louisiana legislators gathered on the state capitol steps to slice a nonpartisan, 144-foot-long po’boy sandwich — a foot’s worth for each of the lawmakers.

Louisiana Seafood Names its Strategic Rebranding Team

A trio of accomplished research, brand management and food promotion agencies will work together to rebuild the nationwide and global image of the Louisiana seafood industry as a result of the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Entrepreneurs See Promise in Wild Louisiana Shrimp

Entrepreneur Karl Turner sees the opportunity in wild Louisiana seafood — a premium-tasting, premium-quality product. The challenge? Convincing shrimpers and processors to do things differently than they’ve traditionally done them.

Louisiana Announces Much-Anticipated Spring Shrimp Season

With commercial fishing waters in the Gulf of Mexico open and fishing operations returning to normal, the state of Louisiana has announced dates for the start of the anticipated 2011 Spring shrimp season.

Southern Culture Transplanted to Washington

It’s not just Chef David Guas’s beignets, pecan pie and King Cakes that attract crowds. It’s the feeling of Southern culture transplanted to the Washington area.

‘Coastal 5+1’ Initiative Lifts Up Community to Restore Sinking Land

In a land of sinking earth and rising water, the Coastal 5+1 Initiative is looking beyond BP to the overarching issue of what coastal restoration really means and how it can be achieved.

Are You Ready for a Challenge?

For Ewell Smith, the impact of the BP oil spill is visible not just on his industry’s bottom line, but also on his waistline. That’s one reason he’s launching — and joining — the Louisiana Seafood Fitness and Health Challenge.

Oyster-Shell Ring? Louisiana Could Have a New State Gemstone

“It’s the most beautiful pearlescent gemstone I’ve ever seen,” says Louisiana jeweler and gemologist Anne Dale. The story behind the gemstone, derived from America’s favorite mollusk.

More than 99 Percent of State Waters Are Now Open for Fishing

With the reopening of these waters, “We are one step closer to resuming normal fishing practices,” says Secretary Robert Barham of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

In Creating Menus, Chefs Hold the Power to Protect Gulf Waters

Should chefs play a stronger advocacy role in keeping oceans healthy? Yes, say some, who point to the powerful ways chefs bring sustainability to the dinner table.

Louisiana Shrimp Task Force Drives Premium Quality Vision

Leaders of Louisiana’s large shrimp business – like their counterparts in other segments of the state’s seafood industry – have launched a landmark task force to strategically develop best practices and profitability for Louisiana shrimp.

Veteran-Turned-Oysterman Fights to Preserve Life on the Bayou

In Pointe a la Hache, the last spit of land before immersion into the delta, fishing and oil are the last games in town. Byron Encalade fights for the survival of this tight-knit community, where no one’s a stranger.

Unanimous Safety Approval for Seafood a Year After BP Spill

Timed with the one year anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion, more than 400 chefs from across the nation asked a panel of experts the hard questions about seafood testing and safety.

One Year Later, BP Oil Spill Is Still Fresh, Still Personal

“Louisiana seafood isn’t just what we eat,” says New Orleans Chef Frank Brigsten. “It’s a way of life. It’s our cultural heritage. It’s part of who we are. For the Gulf to be hurt the way it was—I took it very personally.”

One Year Later, Spirit of Survival Is Strong at P&J Oyster Co.

As P&J Oyster Company marks the 135th year, Al Sunseri is thankful that the doors of his family’s business remain open. And he remains hopeful that the the next generation of oysters is growing somewhere along the Louisiana coast.

For Future’s Sake, Investing in Premium Shrimp

For fourth-generation shrimpers Kim and David Chauvin, orienting their business toward Premium Wild Louisiana Shrimp is more than a financial investment. It’s a step toward sustainability.

Gulf Seafood Industry Summit Asks, ‘Where Do We Go From Here?’

With the one-year anniversary of the BP Deepwater Horizon rig explosion approaching, leaders within Louisiana’s seafood industry are looking toward a promising future.

BP Claims Process Still Plagued by One Big Problem

“The documentation required for these BP claims — oftentimes the commercial fishermen do not have,” says Sandy Ha Nguyen, executive director of Coastal Communities Consulting. She takes it as a sign that the claims facility, the GCCF, fails to understand something essential.

Pushing for Tax Relief for Oil Spill Victims

It is said that a person doesn’t know how much he has to be thankful for until he has to pay taxes on it. That sentiment is not lost on Gulf Coast residents preparing for tax day and the first anniversary of the BP oil spill in the same week.