‘Without us, you don’t have Louisiana:’ Struggling shrimpers warn lawmakers industry is on brink of collapse

DELACROIX, La. (WVUE) – Louisiana’s shrimpers are pleading for assist from federal lawmakers, warning that their business and livelihoods are disappearing underneath tons of imported shrimp.

For longtime shrimp boat captain Kip Marquize, it’s a race in opposition to time.

“We’re the guts of Louisiana. With out us, you don’t have Louisiana,” Marquize mentioned as he navigated the channels out of Delacroix and deep into the bayous of St. Bernard Parish. “What I see is our complete state shedding its id on the world stage.”

Marquize has lengthy been an advocate for his fellow Louisiana fishermen, going as far as to write down a guide titled “Dying of a Fisherman.”

For a small enterprise like his, Marquize mentioned it has by no means been tougher to make ends meet.

“To function this boat, it’s costing me — each three days — $1,300 to $1,500,” he mentioned. “On a ship this dimension — say a 40-foot boat — we’re shedding, on common, $1,000 a day once we work.”

Rising diesel gasoline and upkeep prices, inflation and falling native wholesale shrimp costs have significantly narrowed Marquize’s working margins.

“That cash will get turned again to the group, in order that’s cash being misplaced by the group,” he mentioned. “While you lose $1,000 a day, you’re in your demise throes.”

Marquize’s story isn’t distinctive among the many shrimpers with whom Fox 8 has spoken. Many are struggling to remain on the water and contemplating whether or not they should floor their boats for good.

“I’ve seen us wrestle. I’ve seen us thrive. I’ve seen the great thing about the land, and I’ve watched it disappear earlier than my eyes,” Marquize mentioned. “I’m not solely watching my land disappear, I’m watching my business disappear.”

The Louisiana Shrimp Affiliation has held a collection of “State of the Trade” conferences over the previous two months, at which shrimpers from throughout southern Louisiana have rallied to attract consideration to their plight.

The most important problem they face is the sheer mass of shrimp at present being imported by america.

“We’ve coasts which can be simply stuffed with shrimp. We’ve processors that may’t promote shrimp. We’ve docks that may’t do away with them,” mentioned Acy Cooper, president of the Louisiana Shrimp Affiliation. “We’ve folks that simply can’t exit as a result of they will’t do away with the shrimp, and there’s no want for that.”

Cooper mentioned greater than 2 billion kilos of shrimp might be imported into america this 12 months, an quantity that has been steadily rising 12 months after 12 months.

“The importers, they acquired a lot coming in, they’re beginning to purchase infrastructure,” Cooper mentioned. “They’re shopping for freezers. They’re making an attempt to purchase processing vegetation. Once they do this, you’re pushing us utterly out.

“We’re about to lose this business.”

A 2019 Lee Zurik investigation discovered the Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) solely examined 2 % of the whole seafood imported yearly. Greater than 12 % of imported shrimp samples examined constructive for unsafe medicine.

Between January 2014 and November 2018, the evaluation discovered the FDA turned away farm-raised shrimp greater than every other sort of seafood. And when trying particularly at seafood refused for unsafe medicine, farmed shrimp additionally topped that listing.

“We’ve been begging and pleading for our flesh pressers to again us in opposition to these imported shrimp, and so they’ve turned a blind eye to it,” Marquize mentioned. “Take your affect, and use it to assist the individuals of your state.”

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