For 45 years Ronald Dufrene, best known as Mister Jug, has been catching shrimp along the Gulf Coast of Louisiana. “I love being on the water, it is peaceful for me,” said Jug.Jug says he has had better days now that a flood of imported shrimp is sinking shrimp farmers. According to the Louisiana Shrimp Association, Louisiana has seen a substantial increase in imported shrimp while its own production is dying. Ultimately imported product is becoming more convenient for the seller. “I don’t know anybody whose boat is not for sale,” says David Williams, commercial fishery scientist. “I would say imported shrimp maybe 15 to 20 cents cheaper than domestic shrimp, it’s not necessarily the cost of it but the simplicity of buying it.”David Williams is a commercial fishery scientist who finds a shrimp festival in Morgan City and Gulf Shores promoting local shrimp, however, his testing samples show otherwise.“The Morgan City festival we took five samples, four of the samples were imported shrimp. At that festival we actually asked at the festival ‘are these local shrimp?’ Everyone of the stores said yes, so they basically automatically lied to us,” he said.A recent law spearheaded by state Sen. Michael Fesi requires the state to conduct more inspections and testing of seafood and issue fines for violations. According to Fesi, the shrimping industry brings the state billions of dollars a year. “It’s full of antibiotics, a lot of the shrimp are raised in sewer ponds overseas and that’s why I’m sure if people knew seafood was being raised in those conditions they wouldn’t want to eat it,” said Fesi. For those who continue to purchase local shrimp say it can be a challenge due to shrimpers getting out the business. “People that I know that I can call that have good quality shrimp have gone down. Five, six years ago I wouldn’t be in this position” said Brandon Lefort, owner of Lefort’s Seafood. Advocates say a big issue is educating the consumer. Lefort’s recommends folks to check packaging for wild caught gulf shrimp and product of the United States. In 2019, Louisiana lawmakers passed a law requiring restaurants to tell customers if they sell imported shrimp or crawfish.Meanwhile, Jug says shrimpers are running out of time.“I ain’t say there is no place for imports, we can’t supply enough. We can’t supply enough for the nation. All I’m saying is buy ours first, give us a fair price so we can maintain our fleet and keep our infrastructure,” said Jug.State lawmakers say they’re looking to strictly enforce new laws regarding seafood going into effect in the New Year.
For 45 years Ronald Dufrene, best known as Mister Jug, has been catching shrimp along the Gulf Coast of Louisiana.
“I love being on the water, it is peaceful for me,” said Jug.
Jug says he has had better days now that a flood of imported shrimp is sinking shrimp farmers. According to the Louisiana Shrimp Association, Louisiana has seen a substantial increase in imported shrimp while its own production is dying. Ultimately imported product is becoming more convenient for the seller.
“I don’t know anybody whose boat is not for sale,” says David Williams, commercial fishery scientist. “I would say imported shrimp maybe 15 to 20 cents cheaper than domestic shrimp, it’s not necessarily the cost of it but the simplicity of buying it.”
David Williams is a commercial fishery scientist who finds a shrimp festival in Morgan City and Gulf Shores promoting local shrimp, however, his testing samples show otherwise.
“The Morgan City festival we took five samples, four of the samples were imported shrimp. At that festival we actually asked at the festival ‘are these local shrimp?’ Everyone of the stores said yes, so they basically automatically lied to us,” he said.
A recent law spearheaded by state Sen. Michael Fesi requires the state to conduct more inspections and testing of seafood and issue fines for violations. According to Fesi, the shrimping industry brings the state billions of dollars a year.
“It’s full of antibiotics, a lot of the shrimp are raised in sewer ponds overseas and that’s why I’m sure if people knew seafood was being raised in those conditions they wouldn’t want to eat it,” said Fesi.
For those who continue to purchase local shrimp say it can be a challenge due to shrimpers getting out the business.
“People that I know that I can call that have good quality shrimp have gone down. Five, six years ago I wouldn’t be in this position” said Brandon Lefort, owner of Lefort’s Seafood.
Advocates say a big issue is educating the consumer. Lefort’s recommends folks to check packaging for wild caught gulf shrimp and product of the United States. In 2019, Louisiana lawmakers passed a law requiring restaurants to tell customers if they sell imported shrimp or crawfish.
Meanwhile, Jug says shrimpers are running out of time.
“I ain’t say there is no place for imports, we can’t supply enough. We can’t supply enough for the nation. All I’m saying is buy ours first, give us a fair price so we can maintain our fleet and keep our infrastructure,” said Jug.
State lawmakers say they’re looking to strictly enforce new laws regarding seafood going into effect in the New Year.
