Tag Archives: Lafitte shrimpers

The Blessing of the Fleet in Lafitte returned Saturday!

The blessing of the fleet in Lafitte returned Saturday April 24, 2021, after taking a year off because of the coronavirus pandemic. A boat-blessing tradition started in the ’40s returns to Lafitte after a pandemic-year pause >click<. The Boss Man shrimp boat gets into position to be blessed by  New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond during Lafitte’s blessing of the fleet in the Industrial Canal Saturday, April 24, 2021. The archbishop assisted Rev. Luke Nguyen, of St. Anthony Catholic Church, in blessing the fleet. “This is the first time Lafitte has an archbishop to bless the boats,” Nguyen said. lots of photos!, >click to review< 09:57

Lafitte shrimpers say they are finding it harder than ever to continue their trade

Fourth-generation shrimper Larry Alexie recently beat Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and is now fighting to remain in the business he’s been in his entire life. Alexie, whose boat is named the Billie Jo after the daughter he lost to a car accident in 1999, is determined to overcome this most recent adversity as well. Today, Alexie is forced to retail his own shrimp, something the shrimpers refer to as peddling, in order to make a profit. For most of the season, prices at the dock hovered around $1.25 to $1.40 for 16/20 count shrimp. “That’s not enough to cover my expenses. Read the rest here 17:39