Shrimpers across the state have faced a lot of adversity this year. The LOOP oil leak made many local seafood lovers wary of the catch, and now the diesel fishermen need to fuel their boats, which is becoming increasingly expensive.
Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain notes that marine diesel will be running between $5-$6 per gallon. With brown shrimp season right around the corner, he expects that to have impacts down the line.
“We’ll have plenty of food here in the United States, but in other parts of the world, they’re going to come up short,” Strain points out, noting the amount of seafood Louisiana exports.
Strain says the best way you can help area shrimpers in these tough times is to make sure you’re buying local seafood. “That’s what we have to do to get our shrimpers back in business. They’re struggling right now,” emphasizes Strain, going on to say that diesel prices will remain a huge issue for local fishermen.
