No stranger to headlines, Cher John Folse has been a strong voice for the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News

by Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood New

Twenty-five years after John Folse opened his first restaurant at the foot of the Sunshine Bridge in Donaldsonville, the renowned Louisiana chef has been continually committed to the culture and cuisine of the state and the people so dear to his heart.

Folse knows world markets. The international success of Lafitte’s Landing opened additional opportunities for his restaurants and operations. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News

Folse was recently reappointed to the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board by Governor Jindal to serve as a marketing specialist. In a special board meeting held to elect officers and review bylaws, he was selected to serve as the new Seafood Board chairman.

“The election of John as chair is certainly the right move for this board,” said board member Peter Totorich, senior director of perishables at Associated Grocers. “With his past involvement on the board, his experience will afford each of us the knowledge and guidance that will assist each of us in our evaluation of each task moving forward.”

Tommy Lusco owner of Baton Rouge Shrimp Company agrees with Tortortich. “John Folse is a great choice by the board.  He has been an ambassador for decades supporting Louisiana seafood, as well as the states unique culture, cuisine and way of life.”

A Chef at an Early Age

Born in St. James Parish in 1946, the famed Louisiana chef learned secrets of Cajun cooking and Louisiana seafood at an early age.

Folse’s behind the scenes leadership in rallying chefs from around the world during the Deepwater Horizon crisis was instrumental in bringing worldwide attention to the plight of the Louisiana fishing communities such as Grand Isle where chefs and artist Michael Israel met for “Chefs Ashore.”  Photo: Ed Lallo/ Louisiana Seafood News

When he opened Lafitte’s Landing in 1978, his unique marketing combined with fantastic food introduced Cajun cooking to the world. He brought Louisiana’s indigenous cuisine to Japan in 1985, Beijing in 1986 and Hong Kong and Paris in 1987.

Folse made international headlines with the opening of “Lafitte’s Landing East” in Moscow during the Presidential Summit between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev.

No stranger to headlines, Folse has been a strong voice on the Seafood Board.  His behind the scenes leadership in rallying chefs from around the world during the Deepwater Horizon crisis was instrumental in bringing worldwide attention to the plight of Louisiana fishing communities.

During the “Chef’s Ashore” event held at the height of the Deepwater Horizon crisis, Folse conducts a boat tour of Louisiana fishing waters for fellow chefs. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News

“John has been a great supporter of all Louisiana seafood,” said Oyster Task Force chairman John Tesvich. “I am pleased to see him in the role of chairman.  His knowledge of all Louisiana seafood’s various species, combined with his marketing experience, makes him the right man for the job.”

Folse knows world markets. The international success of Lafitte’s Landing opened additional opportunities for his restaurants and operations that include; White Oak Plantation, Chef John Folse and Company, the Chef John Folse and Company Publishing and Chef John Folse and Company Manufacturing, a worldwide USDA food processor of Louisiana seafood for retail, food service and chain restaurants.

“I was proud to second the nomination for Chef Folse,” said Crab Task Force and Seafood Board Member Keith Watts.  “It is important to have the experience and leadership qualities that he brings to the table as we move into a crucial time for our various seafood communities.”

Priority to Promote Louisiana Seafood Worldwide

One of Folse’s priorities over the next year as new chair will be to promote all species of Louisiana seafood on the world stage.  He visions the board’s mission as promoting “all things good about the various seafood species, the fishermen and the Louisiana seafood community.”

Folse discusses one of his priorities over the next four years to promote all species of Louisiana seafood on the world stage with fellow board member Sal Sunseri. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News

“No one can tell the story of Louisiana seafood better than we can,” said the bayou born chef and businessman. “We have the finest seafood in the world, from finfish to shell fish to alligator, and it the charge of this board to promote it on a local, national and international level.”

“The Louisiana Shrimp Task Force has always believed in the importance of marketing our shrimp outside of the state,” said Shrimp Task Force Chairman Mark Abraham, owner of Big Easy Foods. “Chef John Folse understands the value of marketing, he knows the importance to the state and its shrimpers in marketing Louisiana Wild Caught Shrimp not only in our area but across the country.”

In 1994 the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux opened it doors. It is dedicated to the preservation of Louisiana’s rich culinary and cultural heritage.

Fellow board member Frank Randol, president of Randol’s Inc., views Folse’s leadership as well timed. “He is the perfect person to calm the waters and bring us all together.  He is the man on the hour. His ability to articulate the issues facing our various communities are just as well received on the bayous as they are in the Halls of Congress,” he said.

During his long career the chef has received numerous national and international accolades, including Louisiana Restaurant Association’s “Louisiana Restaurateur of the Year”, induction into the Nation’s Restaurant News “Fine Dining Hall of Fame”, the American Culinary Federation’s “National Chef of the Year.” and he has been recognized in Nation’s Restaurant News’ as of 50 influential “Profiles of Power”.

A Recipe for Success

“We applaud the selection of Chef John Folse as new chair of the Seafood Board,” said Stan Harris, CEO of the Louisiana Restaurant Association. “Chef Folse has been a leader in culinary education and has been a visionary in incorporating Louisiana seafood into his menus. His most recent, Restaurant Revolution, continues that tradition.”

“I have come to realize that no cuisine can develop or expand where there isn’t a strong foundation of regional culture and ingredients,” explained Folse about his success that has culminated in a wide variety of food products. Photo: Chef John Folse and Company

“I have come to realize that no cuisine can develop or expand where there isn’t a strong foundation of regional culture and ingredients,” explained Folse about his success. “We are fortunate, here in Bayou Country, to have the very best gift that God has given anyone in ingredients destined for the pot. My philosophy on cooking is just as simple. Choose first the heritage of your people. Herein lies the spice and flavor of your very palate. Choose secondly the ingredients of your area. Herein lies the uniqueness of your creations.”

The heritage of  his seafood and the ingredients to run a worldwide business are strengths that Folse’s leadership brings as chairman of the board.

“John is the perfect choice for chairman,” said the board’s executive director Ewell Smith. “ His exceptional marketing expertise, and his experience with all aspects of the Louisiana Seafood Board will ensure a smooth board transition and help lead our seafood communities into the future.”

The post Chef John Folse Chosen as New Louisiana Seafood Board Chairman appeared first on Louisiana Seafood News.

“We probably unloaded about 15,000 pounds of shrimp so far since the season opened,” says Chauvin.

Shrimp boats at David Chauvin’s Seafood in Dulac. Photo: WVUE Fox 8

The first boats hit the water early Monday morning. The season for the Terrebonne Basin opened at 6:00 a.m. and shrimpers from all over came to skim the waters. 

Chauvin says Terrebonne Parish produces the largest amount of shrimp by volume in the state, and the populations look good this year. Stephen Marse only came back to the dock to replenish his supplies.

“Shrimp look good,” says Marse. “Got a few big ones if you can find them. They look real good. I got in them a while ago but I ran out of fuel and ice so had to start all over.”

Read WVUE Fox 8 story.

The post WVUE Fox 8: Shrimp Season Begins appeared first on Louisiana Seafood News.

To meet an ever-increasing demand for fresh, quality gumbo-sized shrimp, the Port of Delcambre and Delcambre Direct Seafood program have introduced the first product in the state carrying the “Certified Authentic Louisiana Wild Seafood” – the Vermilion Bay Sweet White Shrimp gumbo pack. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News

by Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News

In Cajun country it is all the about gumbo, especially seafood gumbo. Experienced chefs, at home or in restaurants, know a key ingredient in a seafood gumbo is having a proper sized fresh Louisiana wild caught shrimp with a fantastic flavor – guaranteed.

To meet an ever-increasing demand for fresh, quality gumbo-sized shrimp, the Port of Delcambre and Delcambre Direct Seafood program have introduced the first product in the state carrying the “Certified Authentic Louisiana Wild Seafood” – the Vermilion Bay Sweet White Shrimp gumbo pack. The 70-90 count (pieces per pound) is the perfect size for a wide variety of uses including gumbo, fettuccini, po’boys and pastas.

The 70-90 count pack carrying the certified logo is the perfect size for a wide variety of uses including gumbo, fettuccini, po’boys and pastas. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News

“This Louisiana Certified Wild Seafood product is the first step in elevating the Louisiana Seafood Brand to the status achieved by the Idaho Potato or Alaska Salmon,” said Ewell Smith, executive director of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, whose organization partnered with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to establish the program. “The Vermilion Bay shrimp retail gumbo packs will open doors for others to follow.”

The  project, conceived by Louisiana State University Agricultural Center ( LSU AgCenter) and Louisiana Sea Grant marine extension program, was designed to bring a locally branded product to the marketplace.

“Vermilion Bay Sweet White gumbo shrimp pack will contain no sodium tripolyphosphate or STP,” explained Thomas Hymel of LSU AgCenter/Sea Grant. “STP is a chemical that is widely used in the seafood industry in raw frozen product as an aid to prevent product moisture loss during the thawing process. We wanted this shrimp pack to be just like if you bought the shrimp fresh off the boat and peeled them yourself … with nothing added but shrimp.”

“Boutique” Project

The demonstration project was based on an idea that small “boutique” processors across the state could benefit from the farm-to-market movement, where local products are sought.”

According to Thomas Hymel, The demonstration project was based on an idea that small “boutique” processors across the state could benefit from the farm-to-market movement, where local products are sought.” Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News

“The success of our first project to produce a 26-30 count hand-peeled and hand deveined gourmet pack led us to develop production of the gumbo sized shrimp pack,” said Hymel. “Major chains like Whole Foods and Natural Grocers, as well as more and more consumers, are demanding seafood that is natural, sustainable and traceable. The Vermilion Bay Sweet White Shrimp Gumbo pack meets all three needs with Louisiana white shrimp that are landed, processed and packaged here on the bayous of southern Louisiana.”

According to Hymel, there had never been a locally branded and packaged shrimp product on the grocery store shelf in this area. With the introduction of Vermillion Bay Sweet, consumers started looking for the brand in stores.

“If you have a product is locally branded, it sets it apart from everything else,” he said. “The sweet in the name refers to the extra special flavor profile of our shrimp. The brackish estuary of Vermilion Bay is fed by waters from the Atchafalaya River and the taste is just magic.”

Ready for the Big Time

Vermilion Bay Sweet original was a labor-intensive project, with every step done by hand. Vermilion Bay Sweet Gumbo Pack brings a local bayou born product into the world of big-time processing and marketing.

Marketed under the Vermilion Bay Sweet brand, the new one-pound gumbo packs will soon enter Acadiana markets in such stores as BiLo’s in New Iberia, South End Grocery in Lafayette, Sammy’s Country Store in Maurice, Simon’s Grocery in Kaplan and CajunGrocer.com.

“We’re excited about this chance to prove that Louisiana’s white shrimp is the best, highest quality shrimp coming from Gulf waters.” said Jeff Floyd, owner of Gulf Crown. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News

To meet the expected demands of gumbo pack, the Vermilion Bay project has enlisted one of the states largest and most modern processors, Gulf Crown Seafood of Delcambre, to produce and package the new product.

“Gulf Crown has worked closely on all phases of this project,” said Hymel. “They have been instrumental in addressing the issues of the quality and the safety of product.”

For the gumbo pack to succeed on the shelves, it is important to have quality in the plant. Working with local boat captains, Gulf Coast has developed a quality control process to produce a very high quality shrimp.

“As one of the Gulf’s largest processors, we pack more than 15-million pounds of shrimp a year, shipping throughout the US to numerous distributors and restaurants,” said Jeff Floyd, owner of Gulf Crown. “We’re excited about this chance to prove that Louisiana’s white shrimp is the best, highest quality shrimp coming from Gulf waters.”

One of the first boxes of Vermilion Bay Sweet rolls off the Gulf Crown packaging line. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News.

“It is important that going forward we create niche markets like this for Louisiana shrimp in order to maximize the money we can get for our product,” he went on to explain.

A modern packaging line recently installed at the plant will package the shrimp in one-pound clear plastic vacuum packages. The shrimp are then quick-frozen to remain that way till thawed for use.

“Vermilion Bay Sweet gumbo pack will have just shrimp, with no STP addeed,” said Floyd. “Sodium bisulfite, an additive used in wine making, is used in some shrimp to control the appearance of black spot, a cosmetic shell discoloration.”

Frozen Doesn’t Mean “Not Fresh”

“Frozen doesn’t mean ‘not fresh’,” explained Jim Gossen, chairman of Sysco Louisiana Foods, one of the largest seafood distributors in Texas. “We have to change the way consumers think of fresh. Shrimp that are quick frozen and thawed at time of preparation have a better taste and texture than shrimp containing chemicals required for open display at fish counters.”

The quality of the shrimp will be careful traced from the boat, to the docks and to the processor to guarantee a premium product.

Vermilion Sweet White Shrimp 70-90 count wait to be packaged at Gulf Crown. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News

These guys have been in a pressure cooker,” said Hymel about the first run of more than 20,000 pounds of Vermilion Sweet, “they have to do the best job with the product provided – that is not hard to do when the have the advantage of starting with an awesome product.”

“We want to make this a full-cycle program. Quality diligence will start on the local boats catching the white shrimp in the size needed for the gumbo pack,” he explained.

According to Hymel, a definite demand exists for the new product. The Vermilion Bay Sweet pack introduced six months ago is successfully competing in the marketplace, and specialty stores and supermarkets are chomping on the bit to get ahold of the new product.

Sitting two blocks from the Delcambre drawbridge, Shaun’s Cajun Meats has been the test market for the new gumbo pack. “Almost everything we cook here in southern Louisiana requires gumbo size shrimp,” said Shaun Seguir, the stores owner.

“We have had the gumbo shrimp for six months. At first a lot of customer’s didn’t realize we had the product, but now it is selling off the shelf. With the smaller shrimp you get more to the pack, perfect for stews, pastas, po’boys and gumbos. You know if a meat market can successfully sell it, anyone can sell it.”

The post Vermilion Bay Sweet White Shrimp Gumbo Pack First Louisiana Certified Wild Seafood Product appeared first on Louisiana Seafood News.

This is the second consecative year a chef from Wine Country Bistro & Bottle Shop in Shreveport will compete. Last year Chef Anthony Felan (right) rushes to deliver his dish to judges. Photo: Louisiana Seafood Board

Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off Showcases the Best

Louisiana’s legendary seafood will take center stage at the sixth annual Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off. Photo: Louisiana Seafood Board

by Monica Skaggs/Louisiana Seafood News

Louisiana’s legendary seafood – and the expertise of 11 competing chefs – will take center stage at the sixth annual Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans on Saturday, May 25.

The popular statewide culinary competition is a featured event at the New Orleans Wine and Food Experience (NOWFE).

Hosted by the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board (LSPMB), the cook-off will take place during the grand Tasting Event at the Morial Convention Center.

Armed with favorite seafood recipes, racks of seasonings and everything from crawfish to shrimp, 11 chefs from top restaurants across Louisiana will compete for the title of “King of Louisiana Seafood.” The winner will represent the Louisiana seafood industry at events throughout the year.

Some of Louisiana’s Best

Competing chefs include Manny Augello of Jolie’s Bistro in Lafayette; Kevin Bourg of Wine Country Bistro and Bottle Shop in Shreveport; Cody Carroll of Hot Tails Restaurant in New Roads; Troy Deano of 18 STEAK at L’Auberge Casino & Hotel in Baton Rouge; Tommy DiGiovanni of Arnauds in New Orleans; Brett Duffee of Bayona in New Orleans; Austin Kirzner of Red Fish Grill in New Orleans; Dustie Latiolais of Crawfish Town USA in Henderson; Guy Sockrider of Tomas Bistro in New Orleans; Dean Terrebonne of Belle Terre Country Club in LaPlace; and Zachary Watters of Zachary’s in Mandeville.

“The cook-off is a great way to showcase Louisiana seafood,” said Dustie Latiolais, chef at Crawfish Town USA. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News

“The cook-off is a great way to showcase Louisiana seafood,” said Dustie Latiolais, chef at Crawfish Town USA. “I’ve been making some sample dishes and letting my regular customers sample them.”

Latiolais, who at 26 has been cooking for 12 years, is looking for good weather at the outdoor event.

“I hope everyone enjoys the food and has a really good time,” he said.

This year’s cook-off will be emceed by Ewell Smith, executive director of LSPMB, and 2011 Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off winner Cory Bahr, chef and owner of Restaurant Cotton in Monroe.

Fierce, Exciting Competition

“Louisiana is known internationally for its incredible cuisine and premium seafood, and this event showcases both beautifully,” Smith said. “Louisiana chefs have a deep passion for their craft and this year’s contestants are no exception, so this battle promises to be a fierce and exciting one.”

Last year’s winner Chef Keith Frentz will help crown the winner of the competition. Photo: Louisiana Seafood Board.

The winning chef will represent Louisiana in the 10^th annual Great American Seafood Cook-Off on August 3 at the Louisiana Restaurant Association’s Foodservice EXPO in New Orleans.

Ticketholders to the NOWFE Grand Tasting event, which will pair food offerings with wines from around the world, can also attend the Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off.  Tickets to the Saturday Grand Tasting are $100 and can be purchased online at www.NOWFE.com.

Chefs will have their Louisiana seafood dishes underway when guests arrive for the NOWFE Grand Tasting at 2 p.m. Judging criteria includes presentation, creativity and flavor. The winner will be announced at the closing ceremony at 4:30 p.m.

Judges include Rein Fertel, contributing writer to national and regional publications including Garden & Gun Magazine; Tenney Flynn, executive chef of GW Fins; Errol Laborde, editor-in-chief of Louisiana Life Magazine; and Megan Murphy, New York-based food writer, blogger, host and creator of ThisGirlCanEat.com.

Chefs Keith and Nealy Frentz, crowned King and Queen of Louisiana Seafood at the 2012 Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off and co-owners of LOLA Restaurant in Covington, will help crown the winner. The Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off is supported by Louisiana Life Magazine, McIlhenny Company/TABASCO® Brand Products, Louisiana Restaurant Association  and the Louisiana Office of Tourism.

Learn more at LouisianaSeafoodCookoff.com and read more about the Chefs.

The post Eleven Chefs Sharpen Knives and Skills in Pursuit of “King of Louisiana Seafood” Title appeared first on Louisiana Seafood News.

from NOLA.com and Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission

The second-coldest spring in the last century has resulted in brown shrimp growing more slowly than the U.S. economy.  As a result the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (LDWF) has delayed opening dates for some of the 2013 Louisiana spring shrimp season.

Charged with managing and protecting Louisiana’s abundant resources, LDWF biologists monitoring water conditions and conducting trawl samples throughout the state’s estuarine and nearshore waters over recent weeks have developed management recommendations for the spring shrimp season opening dates.

The Department, which provides projections of the dates when a minimum of 50 percent of the inshore brown shrimp population would reach 100 count per pound or larger, was faced with opening the seasons too early  – the shrimp wouldn’t be big enough for market – or elected to wait too long having shrimp move out to the open Gulf, pushed by big spring tides and a blast of cold, fresh water moving down the Mississippi River.

Opening dates for the 2013 Louisiana shrimp season are:

Louisiana shrimpers are hoping for a record catch this year. Photo: Nicky Alphonso

1. Terrebonne Basin and Vermilion Bay – That portion of state inside waters from the eastern shore of Bayou Lafourche westward to the western shore of Vermilion Bay and Southwest Pass at Marsh Island, and that portion of state outside waters extending 3 nautical miles seaward from the shoreline from the Atchafalaya River Ship Channel at Eugene Island as delineated by the Channel red buoy line westward to the to the western shore of Freshwater Bayou Canal at 92 degrees 18 minutes 33 seconds west longitude to open at 6 a.m. May 13.

2.  Barataria Bay -That portion of state inside waters from the eastern shore of South Pass of the Mississippi River westward to the eastern shore of Bayou Lafourche to open at 6 a.m. May 20.

3.  Lakes Pontchartrain and Borgne - That portion of state inside waters from the Mississippi/Louisiana state line southward to the eastern shore of South Pass of the Mississippi River to open at 6 a.m. May 27.

4.  Mermentau/Calcasieu – That portion of state inside waters from the western shore of Vermilion Bay and Southwest Pass at Marsh Island westward to the Louisiana/Texas state line to the western shore of Freshwater Bayou to open at 6 a.m. May 27.

Read NOLA.com article.

The post Louisiana Spring Shrimp Season Set To Open appeared first on Louisiana Seafood News.

As president of Tideland Seafood Company, Inc. in Dulac, Alan Gibson (holding pen) is one of only two returning members of the previous Board. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News

by Susan Burnell/Louisiana Seafood News

Alan Gibson’s family seafood processing business goes back four generations.  Gibson, appointed by the governor to represent the interests of the American Shrimp Processors Association, looks to do what’s right for the shrimp industry he represents on the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board.

As president of Tideland Seafood Company, Inc. in Dulac, he is one of only two returning members from the previous Board.

Representing an Industry He Knows Well

It’s an industry he understands well, from harvest to market. Gibson’s great grandfather originally dried shrimp for export in the early 1920s. In 1938, he founded the Buquet Canning Company and began canning shrimp, Gibson explained.

Based in Dulac, La, Tideland Seafood buys shrimp directly from fishing boats at their docks. They then sort and package the shrimp for distribution. Photo: Paul Goyette/Flickr

“His son, my grandfather, added canned oysters to the product line in 1953 and began to expand the company fleet of both shrimp and oyster boats. However, the same pressures we’re seeing today — higher operating costs and cheaper imports in the marketplace — caused the family to close the cannery in 1972. With the offloading dock and vessel operations left, my father began processing headless shrimp into the frozen block product we still pack today.

Growing up in the family business that owned its own harvest fleet meant that most of Gibson’s summers were spent between the processing plant and the decks of the harvest vessels.

“That background gives you a real understanding of what it takes to get a product from the water to the market, and too often this part of the equation is forgotten,” Gibson said.

Bringing the Ideas of the Waterfront to the Board

“This is where the marketing board can come into the game and work with distributors and retailers, and educate consumers about the quality and wholesomeness of the seafood we produce from our waters. We must always remember that the supply chain starts with the harvester, and to continue to supply a quality product, the entire supply chain must be profitable. My main focus is to bring the ideas and concerns of the waterfront to the board and assure them that they do have a voice at the table that will be heard. Without communication, one is not represented.”

During the Seafood Board’s Legislative Day in Baton Rogue, Gibson helps educate legislators on the importance of a strong seafood community for the state. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News

Until his appointment to the Louisiana Seafood Board, Gibson had avoided any kind of political position. “Yet our industry has gotten smaller, and it seemed like all the other guys in the industry had done their time. So it was my turn,” he said. “I am eager to meet our new board and feel confident that with the diversity of the backgrounds brought to the table, we should be able to move forward toward our responsibility to the seafood industry we represent.”

Industry issues for which fresh ideas are sought include the lack of youth entering into both the fisheries and the processing side of the industry, said Gibson. “Along with those issues are the challenges of increasing operating costs versus global competition, which directly affects the market price of our products. While the solutions won’t be easy, the new board has promise. We have people selected for their fields of expertise. No one part of the industry is as strong as we are when we band together. If we all move forward toward the same purpose, we’ll do well.”

The post Alan Gibson Wants Seafood Board Moving Forward Toward Common Purpose appeared first on Louisiana Seafood News.

Crabbing in Lake Pontchartrain and its surrounding waterways is typically a productive recreational and commercial activity, but crab numbers were off last year, and it looks like they may be down again this year. Lake crabber Keith Watts, Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing board member, as well as board member for the Crab Task Force, agrees with the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation’s assessment. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News

by Todd Masson/NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

The Lake Pontchartrain crab fishery saw a down year in 2012, and it’s setting up to be even worse this year, according to John Lopez, coastal sustainability program director of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation.

There are a number of culprits that could be to blame, but one of the prime suspects, Lopez said, is 2010′s BP oil spill.

“The crabs lay their eggs out in the Gulf of Mexico, and it takes about three years for those crabs to mature, so if you think about it, we’re now three years after the oil spill, and if there was an impact to the eggs — if they were damaged out in the Gulf three years ago — it could be manifested just now because this is the time those eggs would be mature crabs,” Lopez said.

Lopez explained that crabs are an important link in the food chain, since so many predators, including black drum, redfish and even speckled trout, eat them. Any decline in crab numbers could eventually be felt by anglers who target these game fish.

Lopez, who lives in Slidell, runs traps in the lake to catch crabs for family boils, and he also stays in contact with commercial crabbers and commercial processors, like Pontchartrain blue crab. He said there’s virtually unanimous consensus that the numbers are down.

Read NOLA.com article.

The post NOLA.com: Save Our Lake Director Concerned about Crab Numbers in Pontchartrain appeared first on Louisiana Seafood News.

Ruben and his daughter Maria Hernandez rise early each morning, usually around 6 am. By 7 am they are in the fields prepping the harvest boats for the day. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News

by Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News

As the afternoon sun travels close to the horizon, Ruben Hernandez sits on the edge of a wooden porch attached to a modest trailer. His feet dangling over the edge, still clad in heavy hip-high rubber waders. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News

As the afternoon sun travels close to the horizon, Ruben Hernandez sits on the edge of a wooden porch attached to a modest trailer. His feet dangling over the edge, still clad in heavy hip-high rubber waders. Spread out on a nearby chair, his 19-year old daughter Maria rests, eyes half-closed from exhaustion.

Covered with mud and the smell of fish, Hernandez and his daughter have just spent eight hours working in the crawfish fields that surround the south central town of Eunice – something they will do six days a week for the next four months.

Ruben and his daughter are two of thousands of H-2A and H-2B immigrant workers making the annual trip from Mexico to Louisiana to work in the seafood industry.

“I like to come here because there is not much work back home,” explained Hernandez in somewhat broken English. “I come to make money for my family back home.”

1100 Miles and a 24-Hour Bus Ride From Home

“Back home” for the immigrant worker is the central Mexico mountains north of Mexico City, about 1100 miles and a 24-hour bus ride. Illustration: Google Maps

“Back home” for the immigrant worker is the central Mexico mountains north of Mexico City, about 1100 miles and a 24-hour bus ride from the flooded rice fields he now works.

For the past six years in February he has left his wife and six children – four boys and two girls – in Guanajuato to make the trip to work the crawfish fields of Joey Schneider. This is the first year that he has brought his daughter.

“Ruben comes here for six months to harvest crawfish,” explained Schneider. “He then returns for an additional two months to help me prepare for the next seasons crop. In between, he gets to spend a month back home with his family.”

Work Days Start Early

Father and daughter rise early each morning, usually around 6 am. By 7 am they are in the fields prepping the harvest boats for the day.

“You steer the boat with your feet and harvest with your hands,” said Hernandez with his daughter Maria working the crawfish field. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News

“I check the oil and gas in the boat, load the bait and then it is into the field,” explained Hernandez. “My daughter is learning, this is her first time.”

Driving a harvest boat has a definite learning curve. It takes a lot of concentration, but even more co-ordination. It has been described as “poetry in motion.”

Hazards that come with the profession include unwanted creatures in the trap. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News

“You steer the boat with your feet and harvest with your hands,” said the experienced Hernandez.

Crawfish harvesting for Hernandez is a series repetitive routines – reach into the shallow water, grab a trap, empty the crawfish-filled trap on metal shelf situated in front of him, clean out unwanted articles or creatures, bait the trap with a fresh fish head then place it back in the water and grab another. And so it goes and goes and goes and goes for more than 1800 traps a day, come rain or come shine, all the while driving the flat bottom boat with his feet.

Learning to drive the boat propelled by a rear-mounted paddle wheel comes with its own set of hazards – and it’s not uncommon to end up in the water the first few times out.

“When you learn to drive the boat, you’re going slow. If you move too much the wheel, you can turn the boat over,” he said having first-hand knowledge. “It happened to me at least two times.”

Hernandez and his daughter also face other hazards that come with the profession – unwanted creatures in the trap.

“You be careful when you empty the trap,” he said. “Sometimes you find snakes, turtles, and even a small gator. Big gators in the crawfish pond usually avoid the harvesting, the noise of the boat scares them off.”

Visa – A Ticket to Work

Why leave the mountains of Mexico for this life? Work.

“There is no work back home,”Hernandez said. “At least no work where I can make anywhere nears the money I can make here.” Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News

Like many H-2A workers, Hernandez had worked illegally in the U.S. before joining the program. Becoming harder and harder to cross the border illegally, he felt lucky to obtain an guest worker visa.

“I worked with reputable gentleman experienced in finding documented H-2A workers,” said Schneider. “I knew I needed to have a worker that had all the proper documentation, drivers license, birth certificate and visa. I am glad that I was able to connect with Ruben.”

An H-2A visa allows Hernandez and his daughter to work in the states for a 12-month period. In addition to their wages, Schneider is required to provide clean, livable housing as well as one meal-a-day. He also provides auto insurance.

A Family Separated 8-Months a Year

Living eight months a year away from his family is not an easy life, as his daughter is finding out.

Hernandez writes the family regularly and tries to talk on the phone at least once a week.

Crawfishing runs in the Hernandez family, as well as the central Mexican mountain community where they are from. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News

Sitting on the porch as the sun draws nearer and nearer to the horizon, tears form on the edges of his eyes as he remembers who he has left behind.

“I talk on the phone every weekend,” he said, “and occasionally during the middle of the week.”

Back in Mexico, his wife stays home to take care of the kids, the youngest being nine-years-old.

As hard as it is for Ruben to be away from home, it has been even harder for his daughter Maria.

“She is very lonely and the work is hard,” he said. “She left all her friends to be with me. She wanted to come to U.S., but she speaks no English. Maybe it will be better when she gets some English.”

Crawfishing runs in the Hernandez family, as well as the central Mexican mountain community where they are from.

Reuben’s brother Jorge also comes to Eunice to work in the flooded rice fields harvesting crustaceans, and he has friends in Mamou, Basile, Opelouses from his region back home.

“There is no work back home,” he said. “At least no work where I can make anywhere nears the money I can make here.”

Reliable Labor Pool for Seafood Community

“I could probably find an American to work the fields, but they would never last,” explained Schneider on why he hires immigrant workers. “After a week, or even a day, I would be looking for someone else – and then another someone and another someone and another someone. You can’t run a successful business with that kind of turnover and uncertainty, you just can’t.”

“It is hard to find reliable and steady workers. Without the workers program I would not be able to harvest the acres I do now. I would have to be out in the field working and constantly supervising the operation.”

Crawfish farmer Joey Schneider (right) has complete faith and trust in Ruben and his daughter. “They do a great job in the field, and at the end of the day they bring the crawfish to the plant for processing,” he said. “I don’t need to be around looking over their shoulder.” Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News

Schneider has complete faith and trust in Ruben and his daughter.

“They do a great job in the field, and at the end of the day they bring the crawfish to the plant for processing,” he said. “I don’t need to be around looking over their shoulder.”

H-2A and H-2B workers are at the heart of the Louisiana Seafood community, working the boats and peeling crawfish in the plants.

“Without these workers we wouldn’t have crawfish to market,” Schneider explained. “Even if I managed to get the crawfish harvested, who would peel them? Where would our market be without them?”

Seafood from the Gulf depends on the reliable workers H-2A and H-2B legislation provides.

Legislators – Leave H-2A and H-2B Alone

According to Schneider, who has to pay his workers whether they are catching crawfish or not, “legislators are just giving us fits right now. Every year it gets harder and harder to continue in the program.”

“If they leave the regulations alone, the way it currently is written, we will be just fine. But if Washington continues to raise the wages up and up and up, sooner or later they are going to out price the benefits and I won’t be able to afford to have Ruben here.”

As hard as it is for Ruben to be away from home, it has been even harder for his daughter Maria. But as Congress is set this year to consider revisions for current H-2A and H-2B legislation, both Hernandez and Schneider hope their working relationship will not be put in jeopardy. Photo: Ed Lallo/ Louisiana Seafood News

As long and hard as the work is, time is set aside for socializing.

Saturdays are reserved for shopping, and the Eunice Walmart is the place to meet.

“On any given Saturday there are approximately 300 H-2A and H-2B workers doing their weekly shopping,” said Schneider.

“We shop and talk,” said Ruben. “We all agree our favorite thing about Louisiana is the work. We are not so much about the food here; we miss the food cooked in our own homes back in Mexico.”

Saturday afternoons are often reserved for a trip to one of the two Mexican restaurants in Euless, La Manana or La Hacienda, which according to Ruben “are both pretty good.”

Sundays are family day. After church services, Ruben and Maria gather with friends and relatives in the area to boil some crawfish or Bar-B-Q, play a little soccer and just socialize. “A bit of Mexico in the heart of Cajun country,” as Ruben calls it.

As Congress is set this year to consider revisions for current H-2A and H-2B legislation, both Hernandez and Schneider hope their working relationship will not be put in jeopardy.

“I like working here,” said Ruben contemplating the fate of his future. “God willing we will all be back next year.”

The post Far From Home in Louisiana’s Crawfish Fields – An Immigrant Worker’s Story appeared first on Louisiana Seafood News.

Competition from imports and the rising costs of doing business are two pressures facing Louisiana crabbers, said Keith Watts heading out to tend his crab traps on Lake Pontchartrain. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News

by Mark Evans/Louisiana Seafood News

Competition from imports and the rising costs of doing business are just two of the pressures facing Louisiana crabbers, said Keith Watts as he prepares to represent the state’s crabbing industry on the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board.

Working the water of Lake Pontchartrain, Watts has a front row seat for the sunrise and sunsets over his fishing domain. Photo: Keith Watts

Watts, owner of K.W. Crabbing in Pontchatoula, has been a crab fisherman for 30 years and will serve on the board on behalf of the state’s Crab Task Force, which he currently chairs.

Almost from the beginning, Watts has been active in speaking out on issues affecting the state’s crabbers. He has served on the Crab Task Force for more than 10 years. Before that, he was a member of the Concerned Crabbers Association in the late 1980s in which crabbers came together to discuss industry issues and problems.

Costs Driving Fishermen From Crabbing

Over the years, Watts said, crabbing itself hasn’t changed much. What has changed is that crabbers have to run more traps to be profitable.

The cost of business also has increased. For example, he said, a crab trap cost about $7 when he started in the industry. Now, one costs about $30. The prices for diesel fuel and bait also have increased. Meanwhile, fishermen are now catching fewer crabs while the price of factory or picking crabs remains relatively low.

A small catch of crabs sits on Watts boat deck. With the shortage he get calls every week from people as far away as Baltimore and Florida looking for crabs to purchase. Photo: Keith Watts

“People are leaving the crabbing industry every day because they can no longer make a living from it,” he said. “It’s a struggle right now to stay in this business.”

Imports tend to set the price for fresh crabmeat, he said. Lately, that price has been so low that it is at a level that makes it hard for Louisiana crabbers to make a living with the high costs they face in doing business.

At the same time, crabbers are also facing low catch rates.

Crabs Scarce

According to Watts, each member the board wants to preserve the health of Louisiana’s seafood industry for the next generation. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News

“There’s hardly any crabs right now in the state for the retail markets,” Watts said. “I get calls every week from people as far away as Baltimore and Florida looking for Louisiana crabs to purchase. The crabs just aren’t there right now to meet the demand.”

No one is quite sure why catch rates are so low, he said, though crisis after crisis faced by the state during recent years and the state’s shrinking coastlines and estuaries have had impacts on the state’s fisheries, including its crab population.

One area on which he hopes to focus as a member of the board is to continue to create demand for the Louisiana crabs and the state’s other seafood. Watts said he’s concerned that even some of southeast Louisiana’s restaurants choose cheaper imported seafood instead of that harvested right in their own backyards. Buying local is key, he said, and the Board plays an important role in building the Louisiana seafood brand.

“We have some great seafood in Louisiana,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, it really is the best seafood out there.”

Board Mission to Preserve Health of Industry

As Watts prepares to place a trap, no one is quite sure why catch rates are so low, though crisis after crisis faced by the state have had impacts on the state’s fisheries, including its crab population. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News

Each member of that board wants to preserve the health of Louisiana’s seafood industry for the next generation, Watts said. Board members know firsthand the priorities and issues affecting their industry and are the best prepared to decide where to spend money and on what projects.

“I want to do what I can to preserve and maintain the Louisiana seafood industry”, he said. “Seafood in the state of Louisiana is a 1.8 billion-dollar industry, and somebody has to preserve it and help steer it in the right direction. The board is there to tackle problems and head them off before they become real issues.”

Watts said that as a member of the board he will bring his 30 years of experience as a Louisiana crabber, as well as a personal stake in the future of the industry.

The post Imports and Rising Costs Concerns For Seafood Board’s Keith Watts appeared first on Louisiana Seafood News.

Photo: John Nowak/CNN

by Matt Smith/CNN

Yscloskey, Louisiana – On his dock along the banks of Bayou Yscloskey, Darren Stander makes the pelicans dance.

More than a dozen of the birds have landed or hopped onto the dock, where Stander takes in crabs and oysters from the fishermen who work the bayou and Lake Borgne at its mouth. The pelicans rock back and forth, beaks rising and falling, as he waves a bait fish over their heads.

George Barisich, left, and his deckhand Bob Caretto separate oysters dredged from Bayou Yscloskey, Louisiana. John Nowak/CNN

During the spill, scientists warned that fish eggs and larvae, shrimp, coral and oysters were potentially most at risk from the use of dispersants. The Environmental Protection Agency later reported that testing found the combination of oil and dispersants to be no more toxic than the oil alone.

State data show that blue crab landings are off an average of 18%, and brown shrimp — the season for which the industry is now gearing up — is down 39% compared with the 2002-09 catch.

“Since the spill, my shrimp production is off between 40 and 60% for the two years that I did work full time,” said George Barisich, who has both a shrimp boat and an oyster boat tied up at Yscloskey. “But my price is off another 50%, and my fuel is high: 60 cents a gallon higher than it’s ever been.”

In Yscloskey, Barisich said three bayou fishermen took settlements from BP, sold their leases and walked away from the docks. As for him, at 56, he’s trying to adapt.

Read CNN Article.

The post CNN: Empty Nets in Louisiana Three Years after the Spill appeared first on Louisiana Seafood News.