Southern shrimpers face multiple challenges, including rising costs and cheaper foreign imports.
Cedric Angeles
It’s hard to nail down Dino Pertuit.
And at 57 years old, hes one of the younger ones who keep it going.
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And hes not the only one out on the water casting nets for this delicacy.
“Theres something rugged, delicious, and very much of a place when you taste this shrimp.”
Taking Action
Louisiana native Lance Nacio has a slightly different approach to shrimping.
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Nacio follows in his familys footsteps, alongside his son, David.
Shrimp is not just our industryits a way of life, reads his website.
And this is clear immediately.
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Nacio has been fighting for this industry almost as long as hes been in it.
Changing Tides
Seafood is foundational to not only the states cuisine but also its entire economy.
Louisianashrimpaccount for about a third of those caught in America.
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But shrimpers face multiple challenges.
One major battle is cheaper imports that are undercutting market prices.
Antibiotics and prohibited chemicals are frequently used to mitigate diseases promoted by these aquaculture systems.
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A follow up in 2024 by The AP found rampant labor abuse in the Indian shrimp industry as well.
Consumers are eating it up without knowing [the source], says Nacio.
Imports have become a cheap solution for insatiable appetites.
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The average American eats about 4 pounds of shrimp per year.
The damage that was resulting from those storms cost the local seafood industry more than $570 million.
The consumer should have the right to know what theyre putting in their body, says Nacio.
The health department will enforce the measure and also has the ability to issue hefty fines.
Served with soft white bread, it rivals the best pulled pork.
And there are plenty of shrimp options, frompoboysto ceviche.
Having everything you want available at every moment means at some point you sacrifice quality.
you might taste the salt of the marsh, says Jacobs.
Theres something rugged, delicious, and very much of a place when you taste this shrimp.
Nowhere is that clearer than in their shrimp remoulade, served with humble saltines.
