Lenten Seafood Harvests Looking Great

Catholics worldwide are cutting back on eating meat for the season of Lent, in most places, that’s a sacrifice, but for spoiled bayou Catholics, it’s not too tough. Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board member Chalin Delaune says this year’s Lenten harvest is looking great, but the cold weather could keep crawfish prices high.

“Were off to a little rocky start, especially with crawfish, the cold weather definitely messed us up, but we’re anticipating a good harvest getting into the later part of the year.”

But seafood isn’t just crawfish, Lent is peak oyster season, and Delaune says shrimp lovers are in for a treat.

“A lot of boats are coming in for the Chinese New Year, so that is going to be a really good plus for us for shrimp.”

This year, Wildlife and Fisheries is barring crabbers from removing any females for 60 days, not just the immature ones. Delaune says that means crab lovers may have to stick to eating males for the time being.

“We will see coming up between March and April crab closures, first time that it’s ever happened like this, where you can’t harvest females.”