Tag Archives: Cheap Imported Shrimp
Gov. Jeff Landry denounced a $3 billion coastal restoration plan. Shrimpers are thrilled.
It’s becoming harder to get by as a shrimp boat captain. The cost of fuel is up, but the price of shrimp is going down. And in grocery stores, cheap imported shrimp is outcompeting their wild-caught product, shrimpers say. On top of that, the shrimpers see a massive coastal restoration project as a threat to their livelihood. The Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, 
the cornerstone of the state’s plan to protect Louisiana’s rapidly eroding coastline, proposes to slice open a section of the levee that keeps North America’s largest river from its natural wanderings and allow freshwater and sediment to enter the Barataria Basin, where the shrimpers work. “The scientists, they’re working toward one main goal,” said Andry, and “it is not to preserve culture here.” But lately the fishermen have had reason for optimism after Gov. Jeff Landry signaled his opposition to the project, which has been in limbo for the last several months. Echoing many shrimpers, he said the project would “break our culture.” Many of those whose livelihoods depend on the basin share Landry’s assessment. 23 photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:46
Louisiana Shrimpers face crisis as cheap imports threaten $1.3 billion industry
Louisiana’s shrimp industry, an essential part of the state’s economy and cultural identity, is under serious threat. A flood of cheap imported shrimp is driving prices to record lows, leaving local shrimpers fighting to survive. Without swift action, this generations-old way of life could vanish, taking with it jobs, traditions, and a vital piece of Louisiana’s coastal economy. Family-owned shrimping businesses, often passed down through generations, are struggling to stay afloat. The combination of plummeting prices and rising costs is forcing many to consider leaving the industry altogether. The potential collapse of the shrimping industry would devastate coastal towns like Grand Isle, Delcambre, and Pointe à la Hache, where much of the local economy depends on shrimping.
more,>>CLICK TO READ<< 08:52
Save Our Shrimpers: Texas Fishermen In Danger
Congressman Troy Nehls believes American money is being used to endanger America’s shrimping industry and he wants to put a stop to it through the Save Our Shrimpers (SOS) Act. “Our American companies are trying to compete with this shrimp coming in from Ecuador, and it’s just killing the prices,” Nehls (R-TX) noted. He said he heard from fishermen across his district and the entire Gulf region who told him they are no longer sending out shrimping trawlers because foreign competition has driven prices too low and inflation has driven expenses so high that it is no longer profitable. “Our American shrimpers are being squeezed to the point that they’re going to lose their businesses. And many of these businesses are second, third, fourth generation,” he added. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:50
Shrimping: an endangered tradition
The salty ocean air, the smell of pluff mud, seafood restaurants line the streets, yet shrimp boats sit docked at the harbor. This is the scene pictured in the future by local shrimper and president of South Carolina’s Shrimpers Association, Rocky Magwood, as a result of imported shrimp. Shrimping has long been a tradition and staple of the local Charleston industry, with generations of shrimpers selling their product locally and beyond. A proud heritage and position for many shrimpers. However, as a result of increasingly high levels of imported shrimp, local shrimping jobs are at risk, according to Rocky Magwood. “The p rice of shrimp is terrible,” Magwood said. “Most shrimpers are broke right now.” photos, more, >>click to read<< 06:32
A Double Whammy: Louisiana shrimpers face high diesel prices, cheap imports
Record high diesel prices and competition from cheap, imported shrimp are hitting Louisiana shrimpers in the wallet and driving some of them out of business. Acy Cooper Jr. is a shrimper in Plaquemines Parish and the president of the Louisiana Shrimp Association. “Here in Louisiana, you can make a little bit of a living if you catch a few shrimp. We’re in between seasons now and once the shrimp starts slowing up, you can’t continue working at that price. A lot of folks are going to try to keep working, but once they see they can’t overcome it,” Cooper said of high fuel prices, “they’re going to shut down.”>click to read the article< 18:54
Gulf Shrimpers Taking a Beating Thanks to Cheap Imported Shrimp.
Previously crippled by disease, imported shrimp from countries such as Indonesia have made a major comeback and have flooded the U.S. market, experts say. In summary, shrimp wholesale is remarkably cheap right now and that means bad business for the local guys. “The industry is in outrage right now,” Thomas Hymel, specialist for the LSU AgCenter, said Tuesday. Last year, much of the foreign, farm-raised shrimp product was decimated by a disease called early mortality syndrome, or EMS. Less shrimp in the market meant a bump in prices. Read the rest here 07:54
