Louisiana
Louisiana seeing a tough start to crawfish season in 2024
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Boiled Louisiana crawfish go for as much as $16.99 a pound in the New Orleans metropolitan area. This is as the local crawfish industry faces many problems in this new year.
Seafood businesses say last year’s drought and the freezing weather are the causes.
Denny Lacoste is the owner of Dennis’ Seafood in Metairie. Lacoste said 2024 has not been good for his Metairie business.
Pots that sit in his kitchen would usually hold lots of crawfish this time of year. But right now, they are empty.
“This does not look good right now,” Lacoste said.
The 2023 drought killed crawfish that grow underground. This leaves Lacoste with no mudbugs to sell.
“It’s a big part of the business,” he said. They’re saying they are going to be very expensive and hard to get.”
He said crawfish would cost him $10 a pound wholesale. Lacoste said that is not something he is willing to do.
Last year’s hot and dry weather caused a reduction in crawfish production. Louisiana’s Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain says farmers are not selling products because they are not catching quality crawfish.
“We’ve lost a lot of our crawfish they simply did not survive the drought,” Strain said. “They may fish all day and instead of catching 30 or 40 sacks they catch five or six.”
At Cajun Seafood in New Orleans, business is steady, but crawfish there are selling at $16.99 a pound because of a need in demand.
Lacoste said that is not an option.
“I cannot charge that for crawfish,” he said. “I’m sure you’ll have a handful of people that buy them but that’s ridiculous.
The majority of crawfish in the United States is produced in Louisiana waters. This weekend the state will feel temperatures in the 20s. That freezing weather will stop living crawfish from growing to their original size.
Crawfish were selling for about $5 a pound this time last year. Strain said he hopes to see prices drop as soon as March.
“Ash Wednesday and Good Friday these are the times for seafood for crawfish,” he said. I am hoping that we have a short and condensed season and that we have enough crawfish for Easter because it’s just not Easter without crawfish.”
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Louisiana
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When it comes to retiring, the best places to do so often are affordable, have a high quality of life and access to quality healthcare.
If you’re looking for a place to retire, Niche has identified the best places for retirees in Louisiana.
In its list, Niche has taken into account factors like weather, crime rates, housing costs and access to amenities.
The 5 best places to retire in Louisiana according to Niche
These are the top five best places to retire in Louisiana, according to Niche.
1. Oak Hills Place
Oak Hills Place is a suburb of Baton Rouge and is the overall best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb, located in East Baton Rouge Parish, has a population of 9,038 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. The area is highly rated for families, diversity, as well as health and fitness. Here, the median home value is $437,900 and the median rent is $1,422, according to Niche.
2. Westminster
Westminster is another suburb of Baton Rouge and is the second-best place to retire in Louisiana. Located in East Baton Rouge Parish, this suburb has a population of 2,559 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. This area is highly rated for nightlife, diversity, families, health and fitness, as well as commute. The median home value here is $266,100 and the median rent is $1,482, says Niche.
3. River Ridge
River Ridge is a suburb of New Orleans, located in Jefferson Parish, and is the third-best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb has a population of 13,312 and offers residents a dense suburban feel. The area is highly rated for public schools, family, nightlife and diversity. The median home value is $357,400 and the median rent is $1,127, according to Niche.
4. Westlake
Westlake is a town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. With a population of 4,743, this town offers residents a rural feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, jobs, cost of living, nightlife and weather. Here, the median home value is $166,100 and the median rent is $1,049, says Niche.
5. Prien
Prien is another town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. This town has a population of 7,119 and offers residents a suburban rural mix feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, nightlife and weather. The median home value here is $278,000 and the median rent is $1,292, according to Niche.
Presley Bo Tyler is the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team reporter for USA Today Network. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com
A motorcyclist is recovering after a West Monroe crash involving an 18-wheeler, while Chevron won a Louisiana Supreme Court ruling shifting a major coastal lawsuit back to lower courts. Ouachita deputies arrested a suspect and recovered more than a dozen guns, Mississippi passed a new school social-media safety requirement, and Louisiana’s House advanced a unanimous state budget. A new recovery center opened, and multiple weekend events are underway across northeast Louisiana, plus national updates include stock-market stress guidance, a Ford F-150 recall, Spirit Airlines uncertainty, and tax-refund tips.
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